Meet Eclipse, the dog who figured out how to ride the bus all by herself

[underpants]

http://abc13.com/pets/watch-dog-can-ride-bus-without-owner-to-dog-park/472964/

SEATTLE, WA --
What's a dog to do when she's all alone and just wants to get to the dog park?




She does it so often that the bus drivers know her, one fellow commuter told KOMO. Just like human commuters, she knows where her stops are, hops into seats beside strangers and tries her best to get a view out the window.

It all started when Eclipse's owner, Jeff Young, started taking her to the dog park using that bus route, he told KOMO. Sometimes, the bus would come while Young was finishing his cigarette, so Eclipse would jump on without him, getting off at the stop for the dog park. Eventually it became a habit, and Eclipse was able to go to the park and back without Young.


The transit agency is far from upset by Eclipse's presence. They love the dog because she loves the bus, a spokesman said.

Eclipse doesn't seem to have many dissenters. In fact, when she climbs onto the bus, some faces light up with a smile.

[arcane1]

1. I love this!

I remember seeing a video of a kitty in England(?) who does this too.

[arcane1]

3. Here it is: Dodger the kitty

The ginger moggy, who was named after the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist, has taken to hopping on and off the public transport at the bus station near his home.

The 15-year-old Tom even sits on bemused passengers' laps as the bus makes up to 10 mile round trips from Bridport to Charmouth in Dorset.

Dodger is such a regular customer that some of the drivers take tins of cat food to work with them to give to him. They even know what stop to let him off at.

-snip-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/pets/8958012/Owner-surprised-to-find-cat-regularly-catches-bus.html

[840high]

16. Love it.

[calimary]

2. Good dog!

[randome]

4. A planet where dogs evolved from men? Preposterous!

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Everything is a satellite to some other thing.[/center][/font][hr]

[AtomicKitten]

5. omg I love that dog

[lpbk2713]

6. Smart doggie.

But I'm kind of surprised she hasn't been shot by now.

A big dog running loose without a human companion?
I hate to think what could happen when some local
carrying nut reads this article.

She looks so happy riding in her window seat.

[former9thward]

21. That you think a big dog would be shot

simply because it is by itself says a whole about you...

[brooklynite]

41. Seattle is not a place that's attractive to local carrying nuts.

[phantom power]

7. Eclipse is a totally awesome name for a dog

[underpants]

9. Heard this on sports radio--- The all new Eclipse

Part lab part retriever ALL Chevy!

[Unknown Beatle]

39. My sister found a black stray cat

about 6 years ago and asked me what would be a good name for a cat that color. After thinking for awhile, we came up with Eclipse. Unfortunately, she had two other cats and they didn't get along with Eclipse, so she had to give it away. Fortunately, she found a good home for him.

[SheilaT]

8. Who pays her fare?

[melman]

10. She's under 5 so it's free

[underpants]

13. LOL

[Historic NY]

23. you almost owed me a keyboard....

what about dog years.

[tclambert]

25. She also knows how to make exact change.

[SheilaT]

29. What I'm picturing is

once the dog is over 5, she's either supplied with money that the bus driver can take for the fare, or maybe a fare card of some time.

You know, if we let the dogs ride on the bus, we are really going to have to let the cats on also.

[mahannah]

11. Bigtime plus for mass transit.

[LisaL]

12. Seattle doesn't have leash law?

I looked it up, and it does.
All dugs must be on the leash except in specially designated areas. So I don't understand why this is presented as an amusing story, when it doesn't appear to be legal for this dog to run around by itself.
Allowing the dog to ride a bus by itself seems like a very bad idea to me, even if there were no leash law.
Does she need to cross any roads?
One if these days the dog isn't going to come back, most likely.

[d_r]

14. I think she's wearing a leash

[msanthrope]

15. There's one in every thread......

http://m.

[LisaL]

19. I have seen enough bodies of dead cats and dogs on the roads to not find that story amusing one bit.

[brooklynite]

42. If you'd bothered to watch the video...

...you'd know that his owner takes the next bus and is only a few minutes behind. How do you think the dog get into the dog park?

[LisaL]

49. And if you'd bothered to read the article

you'd know the owner only accompanies his dog on "some trips."
And about once a week he gets a call from a concerned person who is thinking that the dog is lost.

[Hestia]

17. I dunno, if you have a very good dog that is not a nuisance, well socialized, and the neighborhood

knows him/her, why not let him run sans leash? He does have a harness to leash if needed.

The article says that the dog gets impatient and if the owner hasn't finished his cigarette by the time the bus pulls away, the dog will get on by itself. The owner said that he catches up with Eclipse at the Dog Park, which is where Eclipse wants to go.

To me this is a no harm, no foul situation. Of course, animal control probably won't look at that way.

[LisaL]

18. That's how it started. Now he just lets the dog to go to the park by herself.

Either way, it appears to be illegal.

[former9thward]

22. Maybe you should go to Seattle

and put an end to this happy story! Tell the dog pound people they aren't doing their job!

[vanlassie]

24. Yes, that's how it started. next: "Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!

[NV Whino]

28. Don't forget the seals and penguins.

[roguevalley]

33. her safety relies on the driver and they love her lovely story, this

[LisaL]

50. How is she crossing the street?

Does she know to look left and right and go on green?

[IDemo]

30. While I can appreciate the story on its own merits,

It does also remind me of this day I experienced last March:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/116115686

[easychoice]

31. don't move here.Dogs are given a lot of latitude.

There are a lot of whacky things that go one here that get overlooked.Stay away.the place will make you crazy like the locals.
Dogs always ride for free on metro transit.I haven't seen a dog pay a fare ever.

[rufus dog]

35. I just had to put down my Golden recently

But was always tempted to let him go to the park by himself. Park was only 1/2 block away and I never put him on the leash. Going to the park was like going to Disneyland for him. Didn't matter if it was multiple times per day as long as he could sniff around for a bit. He knew how to walk on the sidewalk, although had to be reminded at times.

I would take him to the store a mile plus away and then I realized he knew how to get home so I would take off his leash and let him walk home himself. I took forever but no matter what route I started out on he would make his way back home.

Point being, he could manage it, and was quite proud that he could manage it. The only reason I didn't just open the door and let him make his own trip was because I didn't want to freak out others.

[madfloridian]

20. Loved that story.

Made me smile.

[shenmue]

26. This is so squee,

I want to find a bus that has dogs on it.

[Enthusiast]

37. Me too.

[Bobbie Jo]

27. Love this dog!

[SammyWinstonJack]

32. THAT'S SO COOL!

[GreatGazoo]

34. I have a black lab mix and he would do anything to get to a dog park

I can't say say the words "dog park" if we aren't going because he will remember...for hours. If I open the door he runs straight to the car.

Loved this Seattle story.

[elias49]

36. Eclipse is a spitting image of my best friend Cole

a Black Lab who died unexpectedly at the age of 9. He ook sick one Sunday night last September (had to be a Sunday!) and I had to decide to let the vet euthanize him Monday morning as he was bleeding internally from a tumor on his spleen that had ruptured. I'm still mourning that beautiful boy. He rested his head in my lap on the floor of the exam room and I sobbed like a child.
The video of Eclipse made me laugh and cry at once.
I miss my best friend still.

[bemildred]

38. A dog is a person too. nt

[xchrom]

40. googirl! nt

[rustbeltvoice]

43. Who is a good doggy?

This was all over the television and social media yesterday. A cute story, almost a children's book tale come to life. And with so many of us with pro-dog sympathies, "Peace be upon dogs".

[Stryst]

44. Dogs are good people, of course they like public transportation!

http://abcnews.go.com/International/Technology/stray-dogs-master-complex-moscow-subway-system/story?id=10145833

[niyad]

45. okay, that certainly made my day!

[Scruffy Rumbler]

46. Reminds me of my Golden.

We lived in Portland, OR across a quiet street from a dog park. We would go daily. He could see the park from our second floor entry where he would sit and watch and listen to the other dogs. My roommate called me from work one day, my dog was missing. On the off chance, I asked him to check the dog park. Sure enough, he jumped a low part in our fence and went to the park where someone opened the gate for him. It became part of dog sitting info, If dog is missing, please check the dog park.

Oh and by the way, he spent a year as a pup in DC. He learned to stop at every intersection and would only go when the way was clear. He was a very street smart dog.

[red dog 1]

47. K&R...Thanks for posting

Heartwarming, almost unbelievable story!

[gopiscrap]

48. Love this story

I think a dog on a bus would be good therapy for the riders!