U.S. House passes bill that could allow you to take your dogs and cats on Amtrak

When Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) discovered that he couldn't take his beloved French bulldog, Lily, on an Amtrak train with him, he didn't get mad. He changed the law. That's oversimplifying things a bit, but keeping Lily off that train is a big reason why a lot of other cats and dogs could now be riding the rails right beside their two-legged travel partners.

The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act – which included Denham's Pets on Trains Act – was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday and, in addition to authorizing $7.2 billion in federal subsidies for Amtrak and other rail services, will allow Amtrak to designate at least one car as Pet Friendly (Under current Amtrak policy, only service animals are allowed).

Shortly after proposing the Pets on Trains Act, Denham wrote on Facebook:

Lily often accompanies me when I fly across the country, and it just doesn't make sense that I can bring her with me on a plane, but she can’t come with me on a train. This widely bipartisan legislation would help families nationwide save money and time in traveling with their pets while bringing in much-needed revenue for Amtrak.

It also brought out a wide selection of Facebook comments that all said some variation of "WAY TO FOCUS ON THE REAL ISSUES, JEFF."

Before you run out to buy a tiny conductor's hat for your cat (and there's probably a Brooklyn-based Etsy shop selling that very thing), remember that your pets will have to be kept in a carrier that fits under your seat, regardless of how well-accessorized it is. When Amtrak tested the delightfully alliterative Carry-on Pet Pilot Program on two routes in Illinois, the animals had to weigh less than 20 pounds, including the weight of their carriers. At that time, the cost for bringing a pet onboard was $25 each way.

According to Bloomberg, the Pets on Trains Act will be limited to routes along the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C., but could include trips "as long as 750 miles between endpoints."

The bill still has to make it through the Senate but reportedly has the OK of the Obama administration. It has also been praised by Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. He says that traveling together will "support the human-animal bond."

Obviously, he never saw Snakes on a Plane.