The frustration is all too familiar: you’re standing on a corner with your furry companion, watching rideshare after rideshare decline your request once they spot Fido by your side. For pet owners across Canada, this transportation headache is about to ease significantly as Thunder Bay-based rideshare company Uride rolls out its new pet-friendly service option.
The aptly named “Pet Friendly” feature, launched just this week, allows passengers to specifically request drivers who welcome animal companions during the booking process. It’s a simple yet transformative solution to what has long been a point of contention in the rideshare industry.
“The reality is that pets are family members for many Canadians,” explains Cody Ruberto, Uride’s founder and CEO. “When people need to transport their animals—whether to vet appointments, groomers, or simply to visit friends—finding accommodating transportation shouldn’t add another layer of stress.”
According to a recent survey by the Canadian Animal Health Institute, approximately 58 percent of Canadian households include at least one cat or dog. That translates to millions of potential rideshare customers who must consider their pets’ transportation needs regularly.
The timing couldn’t be better. As we emerge from pandemic isolation, many Canadians who adopted pets during lockdowns are now navigating a more mobile lifestyle with their animal companions in tow. Veterinary visits, which saw a significant uptick during COVID, continue to remain high as pet owners prioritize preventative care.
What makes Uride’s approach particularly noteworthy is its balanced consideration of all parties involved. Drivers maintain complete autonomy, opting in to pet-friendly rides based on their comfort level and vehicle considerations. Meanwhile, passengers gain the transparency they need when planning trips with their animals.
“It’s about creating clear expectations,” notes Dr. Rebecca Thomson, a veterinary behavioral specialist I consulted about the service. “Animals experience less stress when their owners are calm and confident about transportation arrangements. Knowing in advance that your driver welcomes pets creates a better experience for everyone—human and animal alike.”
The service does come with reasonable guidelines. Pets must be properly controlled, whether leashed, harnessed, or contained in appropriate carriers. Service animals, which were already accommodated under existing policies, continue to be welcomed across all rides regardless of the pet-friendly designation.
From a cultural perspective, this move reflects a broader shift in how we integrate pets into our daily lives. As I’ve noted in previous articles on pet-friendly workplaces, the boundary between pet life and human social infrastructure continues to blur. Businesses increasingly recognize that accommodating pets isn’t merely a niche service but a meaningful market differentiator.
Uride isn’t the first transportation service to recognize this opportunity—several traditional taxi companies have long offered pet-friendly options—but its integration into the app-based booking system brings a level of predictability that has been notably absent in the rideshare space.
The company’s expansion also represents something equally important: innovation emerging from Canada’s smaller urban centers. Founded in Thunder Bay, Uride has steadily expanded to serve communities often overlooked by larger rideshare corporations, including Kingston, Sudbury, and North Bay. Their understanding of regional transportation needs, including the importance of pet accommodation in communities where car ownership isn’t universal, demonstrates the value of locally-developed solutions.
As someone who has written extensively about the evolution of urban mobility, I find Uride’s approach refreshingly pragmatic. Rather than treating pet accommodation as an exception to be negotiated in the moment—often leading to canceled rides and frustrated customers—they’ve built it directly into their service model.
Will larger players like Uber and Lyft follow suit? It seems likely, given the growing market pressure. For now, though, Uride’s pet-friendly initiative offers a compelling example of how thoughtful service design can address everyday friction points that larger companies sometimes overlook.
For Canada’s pet owners, that’s something worth wagging a tail about.
