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Sylvie, a pug, a is walked on March 25, 2011, in Portland's West Hills.

(The Oregonian/File)

Small dogs and cats previously barred from setting paw on Amtrak Cascades trains will soon be welcomed aboard -- provided they're calm, contained and "odorless."

Amtrak Cascades will start taking reservations for pets on March 7 with a $25 fee.

The new policy was ordered in December by no less than the U.S. Congress. Lawmakers included a provision in a 1,300-page transportation spending bill to allow dogs and cats on some trains.

The requirement expands on a 2014 test run in Illinois that grew in 2015 to include routes in the Northeast.

Here are the rules:

Pets, including carrier, are limited to 20 pounds.

One pet per passenger.

Pets must remain in a carrier at all times and carriers must remain on the floor in front of the seat next to the passenger.

The maximum carrier size is 19 inches long, 14 inches wide, and 10.5 inches high.

Five pet spots are allowed per train and are allotted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Pets aren't allowed on trips to Canada, nor on trips longer than seven hours. They must be "odorless and harmless, not disruptive, and require no attention during travel."

-- Elliot Njus

enjus@oregonian.com

503-294-5034

@enjus