Jann Arden, seen here in Toronto Thursday Feb. 9, 2012, has written a new biography.Tim Fraser
It wasn't exactly snakes on a plane, but a small dog on a train is causing a major stir. Well, the dog's owner, Jann Arden, is causing a stir.
The singer is accusing Via Rail of being insensitive after she and her dog Midi were asked to leave a train in Oshawa on Saturday.
In one Twitter reply, Ms. Arden ( @jannarden) wrote: "yup....idiots on via rail left us in Oshawa...I guess my 4 lb dog was a security threat to allergy sufferers. Oh well..."
Ms. Arden had been en route to Ottawa for a Sunday night performance at the National Arts Centre. She managed to make it there by renting a car after being booted off the train.
Via Rail replied on Twitter that the train service does not allow pets in passenger cars - unless they're guide dogs. All other animals must travel in the baggage car, according to the CBC. Via Rail reps tweeted: "Hi Jann, I am very sorry for this unfortunate situation! We should have flagged this at the station before you left."
Ms. Arden tweeted she did not know she was breaking their rules and did not sneak the dog on. Furthermore, she said that a number of Via employees saw the dog before she boarded.
The story may have evaporated on its own, but Ms. Arden kept it alive, engaging both friends and foes online for most of Sunday. After @res911que wrote "you hide a dog in a bag to sneak it on the train, than u complain u got booted! grow up! You got what u deserved, and rightly so," Ms. Arden shot back: "@res911que I see you're up to one follower."
But others were sympathetic - especially pet lovers.
So, should Ms. Arden be surprised she was asked to leave the train? Or are Via's rules too strict?