TriMet asks riders to leave llamas off MAX trains

Owners of Caesar the No Drama Llama promise to comply with transit rules after viral photo.

Here's a new service alert for TriMet riders: Lleave your llamas at home.

A viral photo making the rounds online shows Caesar the No Drama Llama riding a MAX train near the Lloyd Center on Sunday, Feb. 24. It's unclear if he bought a ticket.

But the incident prompted TriMet, the regional transit agency, to remind everyone of its civil code. In short: no matter how well trained, wildlife animals aren't allowed on trains.

Service animals, including guide and signal dogs, are allowed onboard, but they must be leashed and aren't allowed to take up a seat reserved for humans. Pets and emotional support animals are supposed to remain in cages, though frequent transit riders have likely witnessed this rule go unenforced.

Llama owners Larry and Lee McCool say that Caesar, age 4, is completely housetrained. When he's not causing a stir online, the famous camelid lives on a farm near Salem.

"For the record, Caesar has never been asked in person not to make use of public transport," the owners said in a statement. "We do intend to comply with the policies of TriMet going forward now that it's been clarified, just thought we'd share this with y'all."

TriMet made the incident into a learning opportunity, sharing a poem riffing off "The Tyger" by William Blake.

Here's TriMet's ode:

Llama Llama on the train

Trying to escape the rain A D V E R T I S I N G | Continue reading below

But llamas aren't allowed on MAX

No matter how good your llama acts





