There are times in life when you might need to travel with your cat. Whether you are flying on vacation or trying to bring your cat to the vet, you might need to catch a ride via Lyft with your cat in tow. But does Lyft allow cats? How can you ride in a Lyft with your cat?
Lyft does not deny riders with cats, but it also does not guarantee that you can get a ride if you have your pet with you. The final decision for letting you ride with your cat will be up to your driver.
Here is everything that you need to know about riding Lyft with a cat, including the steps to take to get a ride, the policies in place regarding animals, and tips to follow to increase your chances of getting a ride.
Lyft’s Animal Policy
1. Service Animals
Lyft allows all service animals in all situations. This is required by Lyft’s internal policies and by law1. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires servicers to accommodate service animals. Lyft’s official policy for drivers when it comes to service animals is Always Say Yes. That means that if you have a legitimate service animal, Lyft has to accommodate you. However, cats are not service animals.
The ADA does not recognize cats as legitimate service animals. There is a difference between a working service animal and an emotional support animal. Cats can be emotional support animals, but these are not legally protected in the same way that service animals are.
2. Non-service Animals
Lyft will still take non-service animals, but there is no overarching policy regarding cats. Lyft tells its drivers, “We encourage you to take all animals,” but it recognizes that each driver has the power to deny rides to anyone with an animal. That means cats can ride on Lyft, but it will be dependent on whether your specific driver allows you to board with your cat.
The Lyft Non-service Animal Policy reads as follows1:
Passengers may sometimes ask to bring their pets along for their ride. Unless the passenger has a service animal, it’s up to the driver to allow the passenger’s pet into their car.
Passengers should call their driver after requesting a ride to ask if they can bring their pet along. If your driver does not feel comfortable with having a pet in their car, you should cancel the ride and request a new one.
If you are charged a cancellation fee, contact us, and we’ll take care of it.
Drivers aren’t allowed to bring their pets along while they’re driving. Some passengers may be allergic or feel uncomfortable with unfamiliar animals.
How to Ride Lyft With Your Cat
This policy means that you are not guaranteed to get a ride with your cat on Lyft. However, there are some steps to take to try to get to where you are going with your cat. Here is how you can ride Lyft with your cat. Just be aware that results are not guaranteed.
- Request a ride like usual.
- Wait for the ride to be accepted.
- Call your driver, and explain that you are bringing your cat.
- Ask for confirmation that you can bring your cat along for the ride.
If Yes: Complete your ride as normal.
If No: Go to step 5. - Cancel your ride request.
- Request a new ride.
- Repeat until you find a driver who will accommodate your cat.
Most drivers should be accommodating to pets, as Lyft encourages its contractors to be flexible. Some drivers might require that your cat be in a carrier or restrained in some fashion. The exact requirements will be up to your specific driver. This can make riding with a cat frustrating because you are not guaranteed to find a driver who will accommodate your cat. This means it could be difficult to get where you are going in a specific time frame.
Tips for Riding Lyft With Your Cat
While rides are not guaranteed, it is possible to find drivers willing to take both you and your cat where you need to go. In order to get the best chance of success, you should follow these tips when hailing a Lyft with your cat.
- Always call your driver before you ride with a cat.
- Do not surprise your driver with a cat without a heads-up.
- Be polite while talking to the driver.
- Keep your cat in a carrier.
- Explain why you are bringing your cat.
- Ask if the driver has any requirements that would make them more comfortable or more willing to accept your cat.
- If you cancel the ride request, don’t let them hit you with a cancellation fee. Lyft does not charge cancellation fees for rides canceled because of animals.
- If a driver accepts your ride request with your cat, be sure to tip them and give them a good driver rating. This will make it more likely that they will accept riders with pets in the future.
- Know the rules, the policies, and your rights.
- Remember, cats are not legally protected service animals.
- Don’t argue or fight with drivers who deny your ride request because of your cat.
- It could take a few attempts to find a willing driver for your cat. Build in some extra time so you are not late getting to your destination.
Conclusion
Lyft does allow cats to ride, but it is left up to the driver’s discretion in all situations. Cats are not legally protected service animals, so they are not guaranteed to be accepted by any individual driver. However, most drivers will likely accommodate your request as long as you are prepared and polite when making your request. It could take a few cancellations to find a driver who is willing to take your cat, but eventually, you should get where you are going. It is important to know the nuances of these rules, so you are not surprised or left in a bad spot when trying to ride Lyft with your cat.
- Related Read: Does Amtrak Allow Cats? Train Pet Policy & Safety Tips
Featured Image Credit: Lightspruch, Shutterstock
Lyft’s Animal Policy
2 Responses
if a cat is in a secure carrier in the back of the hatchback with a blanket underneath there shouldn't be a question. if they are allergic. change jobs or change your religion. it is mostly a religious choice, yet if you select UberPet and they accept they are also Lyft drivers.
Hey Angrea Poundstone. While you’re right that a carrier and blanket should be sufficient, the law differentiates between service animals and pets. Drivers are legally required by the ADA to accept service animals regardless of allergies or religious beliefs, but for non-service pets (like most cats), drivers can technically refuse unless they have explicitly opted into a program like Uber Pet. Since Uber Pet is an opt-in service where drivers earn a higher fare to accommodate animals, any driver who accepts that specific ride type has essentially waived their right to use "allergies" or "religion" as an excuse to cancel at the curb. If a driver is active on both platforms and accepts an Uber Pet or Lyft pet-friendly ride, they are contractually obligated to fulfill it, and you are well within your rights to report a refusal to the platform to ensure they either follow the rules or stick to standard "human-only" rides.