Travelling with a pet? Laws and regulations on animals in public transport in Croatia are a messy domain, but when it comes to ferries, there’s no need to worry. Small animals, cats, and dogs are allowed on board, provided you follow safety regulations regarding your furry friends.
Not everyone feels the need to follow the code of conduct, though, according to a certain ferry passenger (initials G.B.) who wrote an angry message to Jadrolinija company. He complained about the number of dogs present in all three lounges on the ferry line he took from Vis to Split, which supposedly led to his 2-year-old daughter having an allergic reaction, reports Dalmacija danas.
“What’s the situation with dogs on ferries? Is anyone controlling that? My daughter’s been suffocating through the night after an allergic reaction because all three lounges had at least 20 dogs present. Large and small – to be fair, all well-behaved and peaceful, but none of them wearing a muzzle, and some of them not on a leash at all.” wrote the passenger.
We love public debates and heated arguments here in Croatia, so the message got an equally scorning response from another user:
“It’s sad that the law doesn’t force people like you to wear a muzzle… Sad to hear about your daughter, but I’m certain she’s allergic because she spent her whole life isolated from animals… and those who don’t like animals don’t like people as well… that speaks volumes of you.”
Whoa. G.B. responded to the critic, saying he loves dogs and understands they need to get away from the sun as well, but that it’s not okay to let them take over every room on the ship.
“I was mostly unnerved because I had to argue with people to make them leave at least one lounge, and they took an ignorant stance – are those who remain outside with their dogs fools?” he wrote.
So, can the doggies spend some time inside on a ferry or not? According to Dalmacija danas, Jadrolinija issued an official statement after the incident, apologising to G.B. for the inconvenience and clearing up the misunderstanding:
“Pets can be transported on all Jadrolinija ships. On ferries, they can stay at the open decks intended for passengers, while the entrance to the closed passenger areas is forbidden (lounges, restaurants, toilets). Dogs are required to wear a muzzle (except for guide dogs) and have to be kept on a leash, cats need to remain in cat carriers, and birds inside a cage. Dogs and cats are required to have vaccination documents.
There are signs on the ship marking the areas where pets are not allowed, and Jadrolinija counts on its passengers to adhere to regulations. In case someone is found not to be following the rules, [other passengers] should report it to a crew member or a waiter in the ship lounge. In that case, the Jadrolinija crew will warn the passengers with pets and ask them to leave the enclosed space.
We want to use this opportunity to apologise to passengers if they experienced any inconvenience on our ships, and call upon all passengers to respect the code of conduct to make sure the trip remains pleasant for everyone involved.”
This particular passenger is to be understood, as having a sick toddler is not easy for any parent. But it’s somewhat unclear what he’s attacking Jadrolinija for, as it seems he hasn’t tried complaining to the crew while on board, and we all know how quarreling with fellow travellers turns out.
As usual, it all comes down to people and their behaviour: rules are there for a reason, and unlike many other regulations in Croatia, these are not nonsensical. Stick to the code of conduct, and if faced with a problem, try talking it out with other passengers in a peaceful manner. If that doesn’t work, find the nearest crew member to voice your concerns. Channeling dissatisfaction into frustrated posts on social media usually won’t do anyone any good.
