Photo by jasmined on Flickr.

If you don’t have a car or don’t want to drive all the time, taking care of a pet can seem cumbersome. But transporting a small or medium pet without a car is easier than it sounds. As the proud servant to an 18-pound dog, I’ve learned how to take him around DC without a car.

Of course, you can walk or bike to your destination with your furry friend in tow. But dogs, cats, and other small animals are also permitted in most taxis, Metro trains and buses, and Zipcars. Most of them require that you take your pet in a secure carrier.

I have a soft-sided airline on-board carrier for my dog, since I can use the carrier for anything and it has a shoulder strap for easy carrying. A hard-sided carrier would be difficult to manage with anything but very small pets, but is also a great multi-tasking option for very small dogs, kitties, lizards, snakes, and the like. There are even wheeled carriers now, some of which have backpack-like straps, that would be ideal for medium-size dogs that may be hard to lift or transport otherwise.

Metro may have the simplest rules for pets. WMATA allows animals on all trains and buses so long as they are contained in a secure carrier, except service animals. I take my dog in his carrier on the bus or train with some regularity. Some passengers object that I’m not allowed to bring my dog on board, but bus drivers and station managers always know that he is welcome and let others know the rules.

Zipcar rules are also straightforward: pets are fine so long as they’re in a secure carrier. I know it’s tempting to ignore this rule and just load your pet up without a carrier, but those of us with allergies thank you for following the rules. I am very allergic to most dogs and all cats, and spending time in a car with lingering pet dander would be a miserable experience for me.

Despite my dog being low-allergy, I still crate him if I’m using Zipcar to take him to the groomer, vet, or somewhere else. There’s an off-chance that someone who uses the car after me might be so sensitive to pet dander that even my dog would bother them, and that is the spirit of the rule. Zipcar is also a decent option for transporting larger pets. Given a large enough vehicle to accommodate an appropriate crate, larger dogs are free to cruise.

Taxis are a bit more complicated. Of course, service animals are still permitted, but taxi drivers can refuse to take non-service animals. Title 31, Section 801.9(b)(1), (2), and (4) of the DC Municipal Regulations require passengers to bring pets in a secure carrier, but also allow cab drivers to reject a non-service animal if they have a medical condition, such as allergies.

When requesting a taxi, I always let the dispatcher know I will have a dog in a carrier with me. I’ve only once had a problem with this, at National Airport, which is not subject to DC regulations. A driver told me that I’d have to put my dog in the trunk or take another cab, but rather than objecting, I opted to just take a different taxi. Thankfully, the staff member handling the taxi line was able to get me a taxi driver happy to transport my crated dog promptly.

In some situations, you may need to street hail a cab with your pet. In order to refuse you, the cab drive must have a placard in the taxi saying they have an exemption. I sometimes take my dog in Uber sedans, and I’ve always followed their advice and called the driver as soon as he accepts the fare and let him know I have a dog in a carrier. I’ve never had an Uber driver refuse service on that basis, though the drivers do sometimes ask how big he is, so you may encounter problems with larger dogs.

There are also several pet taxi services in DC that can take your pet (with or without you) to vet or groomer’s appointments or wherever else they need to go. These are the best option for folks with larger animals, as the vehicles are designed for pets and often don’t require a crate. They are more expensive than regular cabs, but likely cheaper than owning a car, particularly if you don’t need to regularly transport your pet by vehicle or your pet is small enough to take on the Metro.

Managing a pet without a car does present some challenges, but DC has resources to take your pet by public transportation, carshare, or hired vehicles. With the right equipment and knowledge, you can take great care of your pet without driving everywhere.

Toni Dach is an analyst for the Department of Commerce.  She moved to DC after completing her Master’s degree in 2007, and has lived in Brentwood since 2009.