1:00pm Friday 17th February 2012
By Paul Rogers
A CHARITY walker has hit out at a Herefordshire bus company for refusing to allow his pet dog to travel on their vehicle.
Stuart Jessup had already trekked around 1,200 miles when he tried to board a Yeomans bus from Hereford to Byford with his springer spaniel Poppy.
But he said he was amazed when the driver refused to let the animal on — leaving Stuart with the task of finding alternative arrangements to get to his overnight campervan accommodation.
He said: “It is normal for dogs to be carried at the driver’s discretion, with First and Stagecoach charging 50p to 80p to carry a dog, which seems reasonable to me.”
Stuart added that Paul Morris from Hereford Rotary Club heard about his plight and gave him a lift to Byford so he could continue his journey.
Yeomans manager John Hodges said that the company’s policy is that they do not allow pets on board their buses.
“We do carry guide dogs for the blind and dogs for the deaf that aid passengers, it’s just that we do not carry pets,” he said.
“In Herefordshire, there may be pit bull terriers or Staffordshire bull terriers, so we have to take into account the health and safety of our passengers at all times.
“We are not the only company that refuses to carry pets and we maintain that we have done the right thing.”
Stuart is raising money for mental health charities.
To find out more or sponsor him, visit walkingontheedge.org.uk.
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