OCTA Offers Service Animal Training

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Last year the Orange County Transportation Authority provided public transit orientation training to service animals and their handlers / trainers.  Myself and Derby were lucky enough to take part in this free program.  We shuttled around in the bus starting at the Fullerton Park and Ride and ended at Knott’s Berry Farm for lunch with several of our friends from Guide Dogs of America and Guide Dogs of the Desert.  If you haven’t seen the pictures from last year take a look at this post: Puppies on Buses. We’re in luck because once again this October OCTA is offering service animal training on their buses.

Service Animal Training With OCTA

Here are the details on this event:

What: OCTA Public Transit Orientation for service animals and their trainers / handlers
When: Saturday, October 3rd, 2009, 8am – 12pm
Where: Fullerton Park and Ride, 3000 West Orangethorpe, Fullerton, California

Here’s the information I received from the Orange County Transportation Authority:

Service Animal Trainers / Handlers of Orange County

The Orange County Transportation Authority will once again be providing public transit orientation training to service animals and their handlers / trainers on Saturday, October 3, 2009 at the Fullerton Park and Ride, 3000 West Orangethorpe, Fullerton, California.

Buses will be departing every thirty minutes on the hour and half hour beginning at 8:00 am, with the last bus leaving at 1200 noon.

All service animals and handlers/trainers are encouraged to attend.

During this event, you will have the opportunity to apply for a No Fare Identification Card (this is not a requirement). The No Fare Identification Card identifies the animal as being in training and the handler/trainer is not required to pay a fare when boarding the bus. The fee for this identification is $2.00.

Please contact event coordinator, Pam Peters at 714-265-4387 or ppeters [at] octa [dot] net with any questions.

I look forward to seeing everyone at this event.

Pam Peters
714-265-4387
ppeters [at] octa [dot] net
Instructor, Operations Training
Orange County Transportation Authority

So not only is OCTA offering this great service to allow us to ride their buses with our animals for the day, but they are also giving us the opportunity to apply for a No Fare Identification Card.  That’s awesome!  I can’t wait for this years event.

Service Animal Training – Puppies On Buses

I rarely ride the bus or any form of public transportation.  The OCTA’s Service Animal Training program is a great opportunity for Guide Dog puppy raisers to introduce their puppies to the bus.  Last year was a lot of fun.  We got to experience the bus ride, walking around with other people training guide dogs, and walking around the outside of Knott’s Berry Farm.  Not only that, but we also got to meet many different people and dogs.  We saw dogs from several other groups including Guide Dogs of America, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Canine Companions for Independence, Guide Dogs of the Desert, Therapy Dogs International, and many other groups.  We even came across a man who was training his Vizsla to be a Cadaver Dog.  The OCTA training was a great experience for both me and my puppy Derby.

Unfortunately this years Service Animal Training coincides with the GDA Partners Awards Dinner.  Hopefully our friends at Guide Dogs of America will have time to attend both events this year.

If you have a service animal we’d love to see you at this years OCTA Service Animal Training.

Have you attended this event in the past?  How was your experience?

A final note, this event takes place the first Saturday in October in case you want to put it on the calendar for next year.

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