Deputy Mayor Krista Adams revealed the pet travel proposal last week at a council committee meeting after a petitioner asked the council to reconsider letting pets ride on the river. “I personally think it would be nice to have animals on the CityCats, but they would need muzzles,” Cr Adams said. “I’m familiar with North Stradbroke Island where dogs can go on the water ferries. “I think it is the same type of thing. “But they have to have a muzzle.”

The council committee meeting heard modern-day soft muzzles could be used by pet lovers. Cr Adams said the council would write to TransLink and ask that pets - mostly dogs on leads - to be allowed on CityCats and ferries. Dog lovers in the City Botanic Gardens were enthusiastic but acknowledged the change could be tricky. IT specialist Steve Bakker lives in the inner city on the 30th floor of an apartment building with his labradoodle Bozo. He works at South Brisbane. “Bozo would love to go to work on the CityCat,” Mr Bakker said.

Steve Bakker with Bozo in Brisbane's Botanical Gardens. Credit:Tony Moore “Bozo has to walk to work at the Mater Hospital at South Brisbane and he would love to catch the CityCat home on a Friday night." Not all dogs were well behaved, he acknowledged, but then "not all people are well behaved." “It is a valid point to say it can be difficult because some dogs can be difficult to control," he said. “But it is a subset of dogs that live in the inner city and I think they are used to being around people.”

Bozo would probably not like wearing a muzzle but if it was a condition of travel Mr Bakker imagined he could get used to it. Car broker Todd Simpson also lives in the CBD. His dog, Daisy, flashed her eyes as he said the idea had plenty of merit. “I think if it’s a well-behaved dog it should be fine,” Mr Simpson said. “It would be good if they let dogs on the CityCats; that would be awesome.” Some owners suggested dogs with their owners could be restricted to the back of the CityCats, away from people who were nervous of dogs.

Mr Simpson did not know dogs were not allowed on the ferries until he was asked about the proposal. "I suppose the difficult part is if you make it law then someone will have 15 killer breeds and they want their dogs on,” he said. “So is it going to create bigger problem? “Does it bring out all the wild breeds and create more problems than it is worth?” A TransLink spokesman said the organisation understand people wanted to be able to travel with their pets.