Does Uber allow dogs in India?

Yes, through Uber Pet where it is available: one pet per trip, such as a dog or a cat, with up to 3 passengers. It may cost more than other rides, and a cleaning fee may apply if the pet leaves waste, hair or damage. Availability varies by city, so check the app.

Ola has no written pet policy that we found. Its official support account said in April 2024 that there is no restriction on pets, which may ride at the driver's discretion. Message the driver before pickup, and keep your pet in a carrier or on a harness.

Can I take my dog in an auto rickshaw?

If the driver agrees. Rapido's app lists an Auto Pet service, and street autos are the driver's choice. Keep a small dog in a carrier on your lap or the floor and a bigger dog on a short lead and harness, and avoid autos in the midday heat.

Can a cab driver refuse my dog?

Outside Uber Pet, yes in practice: Ola leaves it to the driver, and the Motor Vehicles Act forbids anything that hampers the driver's control. A calm dog in a carrier or harness, a towel on the seat and asking first make a yes more likely.

Do I need papers to take my dog in a cab?

No platform we checked asks for any. The Transport of Animals Rules 1978 were written for consignments and mention a health certificate, but carrying the vaccination card on any trip is sensible in case your dog bites or is lost.

Petym Answers 6 min read

Can I take my dog in an Uber, Ola or auto in India?

Updated October 2026By PetymFacts checked against official sources on 21 October 2026

Quick answer

Sometimes. Uber's India site offers Uber Pet, one dog or cat per trip with up to three passengers, where it is available, and it may cost more. Ola's support account says pets ride at the driver's discretion. Rapido lists an Auto Pet service. For any other cab or auto, ask the driver before your dog gets in.

No law we found bars a pet from a cab, but the driver must not be obstructed and the animal must not be carried in a way that causes it pain. Use a carrier for a small pet and a harness on the back seat or floor for a bigger dog, and bring a towel.

Which cab and auto apps take pets?

What each platform publishes, as read on 21 October 2026.

Published policy
Uber Pet
One pet per trip, such as a dog or a cat, with up to 3 passengers. It may include an extra fee, and a cleaning fee if the pet leaves waste or hair or causes damage. Pets other than dogs and cats travel in a carrier. Availability varies by location. A service animal can ride in any Uber option. Uber (India site)
Driver's discretion
Ola
We found no written pet policy. Ola's official support account said on 21 April 2024 that there is no restriction on bringing pets in the cab, which may ride at the driver's discretion. Ola Support (@ola_supports, Ola's official support account)
Service named, no rules found
Rapido
Rapido's app listing names an Auto Pet service among its options, but we found no published rules for it. Roppen Transportation Services (Rapido), Google Play listing
Driver decides
Street autos and kaali-peeli taxis
No platform, no policy: it is the driver's call. Agree before you get in, and say how big your dog is.

Is it legal to take a dog in a taxi in India?

Nothing we read bars it. The rules that apply are about the driver's control and the animal's welfare.

Section 125 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 says no person driving a motor vehicle shall allow anyone to sit or stand, or place anything, in a way that hampers the driver's control of the vehicle. The Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations 2017 add that the driver must make sure his view is not obstructed and his hearing not impaired by passengers, animals or the load. A dog loose on the front seat or climbing over the gear lever is exactly what these provisions are about, and a driver is entitled to refuse it.

For the animal, section 11(1)(d) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 makes it an offence to carry any animal, in a vehicle or not, in a way that causes it unnecessary pain or suffering. The Transport of Animals Rules 1978 also say that dogs and cats carried a short distance by road in a public vehicle should be in a cage inside the vehicle, never on the roof. Those rules were written with consignments in mind, and none of the cab platforms we checked asks for a cage or papers for a dog riding with its owner. Petym reads them as good practice: contain the animal, keep it inside, keep it calm.

How do I get a cab driver to say yes?

Book Uber Pet where the app shows it; otherwise message or call the driver before pickup and say what pet and what size. Uber (India site)
Small dogs and cats in a closed carrier; bigger dogs on a short lead with a harness, on the back seat or floor, never in front. RSPCA Australia
Bring a blanket or towel for the seat, and wipe muddy paws before getting in. Uber (India site)
Keep your pet with you and under control for the whole ride. Uber (India site)
If your dog gets car sick, do not feed it for a few hours before the ride, and walk it first. SPCA New Zealand
Carry poo bags, wipes, water and the vaccination card.

What should I avoid in a cab with a pet?

Do

Ask the driver to keep the AC on or windows partly open in summer, and keep trips short in the heat. Animals (2020)study
Tip or offer to pay any cleaning charge if your pet leaves a mess. Uber may add one. Uber (India site)

Don’t

Do not let your dog sit on the front seat or roam the car: it can hamper the driver, which section 125 forbids. Odisha Motor Vehicles Department (Government of Odisha)
Do not leave your pet in a parked cab while you run in somewhere. Cars heat up fast even on mild days. RSPCA (England and Wales)
Do not let your dog ride unrestrained by an open window: a harness or carrier stops it jumping out of a moving vehicle. RSPCA Australia
Do not sit a dog loose in an open auto in traffic; a harness or carrier on your lap or the floor is safer. Animal Welfare Board of India

What if I cannot get a cab for my dog?

If it is a vet visit or an emergency
Ask the vet clinic whether it runs or knows a pet ambulance, and keep a friend with a car on your list for emergencies. Pet first aid basics
If you are moving house or city
Plan transport as part of the move: your own car, a pet relocation service, or train or flight. Moving city
If you are going on a longer road trip
Use your own or a hired car, with breaks every two hours and a crate or harness. Road trips
If you are going away and the dog does not need to come
A sitter at home saves the journey altogether. Overnight sitting

Do the rules differ for a guide or assistance dog?

Uber says you do not need to choose Uber Pet when travelling with a service animal, and can request any ride option. For other platforms we found no published rule. Carry the dog's training or assistance documents if you have them.

Going away soon? Tell us your dates.

A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.

Find a sitter How it works

Meet your sitter first, free
PAN-checked, first-aid trained
A photo every day
Pay through Petym, never cash

Questions owners ask

Does Uber allow dogs in India?: Yes, through Uber Pet where it is available: one pet per trip, such as a dog or a cat, with up to 3 passengers. It may cost more than other rides, and a cleaning fee may apply if the pet leaves waste, hair or damage. Availability varies by city, so check the app.
Does Ola allow pets?: Ola has no written pet policy that we found. Its official support account said in April 2024 that there is no restriction on pets, which may ride at the driver's discretion. Message the driver before pickup, and keep your pet in a carrier or on a harness.
Can I take my dog in an auto rickshaw?: If the driver agrees. Rapido's app lists an Auto Pet service, and street autos are the driver's choice. Keep a small dog in a carrier on your lap or the floor and a bigger dog on a short lead and harness, and avoid autos in the midday heat.
Can a cab driver refuse my dog?: Outside Uber Pet, yes in practice: Ola leaves it to the driver, and the Motor Vehicles Act forbids anything that hampers the driver's control. A calm dog in a carrier or harness, a towel on the seat and asking first make a yes more likely.
Do I need papers to take my dog in a cab?: No platform we checked asks for any. The Transport of Animals Rules 1978 were written for consignments and mention a health certificate, but carrying the vaccination card on any trip is sensible in case your dog bites or is lost.

Keep reading

Road trips with a petCar travel, carriers, car sickness, hot cars, buses and parks.
Pet travel rules in India
Moving to another city with a pet
Dog in train rules
Heatstroke in dogs

Services that help

Overnight pet sittingA sitter sleeps in your home and keeps your pet's routine going.

Free tools for this

Going-away checklistA dated countdown for your trip, for dogs, cats, small pets and birds.

Words on this page, explained

Sources

Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources

Show all 11 sourcesShow fewer

Animal Welfare Board of India: The Transport of Animals Rules, 1978 (AWBI's copy) (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
RSPCA (England and Wales): Dogs die in hot cars (opens in a new tab)checked 21 October 2026
RSPCA Australia: Do I need to restrain my dog when travelling in my car? (opens in a new tab)checked 17 October 2026
SPCA New Zealand: How can I help my dog with car sickness? (opens in a new tab)checked 17 October 2026
Animals (2020): Dogs don't die just in hot cars: exertional heat-related illness (opens in a new tab)Peer-reviewed study · checked 17 October 2026