A woman who went viral after she was caught on camera carrying around her 52LB dog in a backpack has revealed the real reason behind her bizarre choice of transport for the weighty pup.
Jackie Hornung frequently shares photos and videos of her adorable Samoyed dog, Lumi, who has captured the hearts of social media users.
Most recently, Jackie shared a video of herself carrying her 1.5-year-old on the subway in a backpack.
With Lumi strapped to her back, Jackie strutted her stuff down the steps of the train station due to New York City Transit Authority, or the NYCTA, requires animals to be in an ‘enclosed container’ while riding.
Jackie Hornung has revealed she carries her 52LB dog in a backpack in order to abide by New York State rules
Jackie frequently shares photos and videos of her adorable Samoyed dog, Lumi, who has captured the hearts of social media users
Most recently, Jackie shared a video of herself carrying her 1.5-year-old on the subway in a backpack
The viral video, which amassed 2.7 million views, was captioned: ‘Big dog, big backpack’
The viral video, which amassed 2.7 million views, was captioned: ‘Big dog, big backpack.’
The fluffy white dog sat in the giant bag and joyfully let his tongue hang out of his mouth while his paws wrapped around Jackie.
The clip then showed Jackie inside a subway trying to balance herself while holding the 52LB dog.
The text overlay read: ‘Dogs have to be in bags on the NYC subway! So that’s why he’s in a backpack!’
And while many viewers thought it was silly she wouldn’t just let Lumi roam around on a leash, according to the MTA New York City Transit, also known as the NYCTA, ‘no person may bring any animal on or into any conveyance or facility unless enclosed in a container.’
The rule was added in a 2020 MTA Board Meeting report that outlined the rules of the transit system.
The report also stated that the animal must be ‘carried in a manner which would not annoy other passengers.’
Speaking to Newsweek, Jackie revealed that Lumi ‘loves being carried’ and is ‘pretty calm’ when he is in the backpack.
The fluffy white dog sat in the giant bag and joyfully let his tongue hang out of his mouth while his paws wrapped around Jackie
An MTA report also stated that the animal must be ‘carried in a manner which would not annoy other passengers’
Jackie added that Lumi loves the attention that comes with the backpack, sharing that people always come up to pet him.
She said: ‘He gets a lot of pets, which he very much enjoys.’
Many viewers questioned whether the over 50LB dog felt ‘squished’ in the backpack, however, Jackie revealed that the bag is ‘pretty spacious’ so he can ‘sit naturally’ in it.
In a follow up video, Jackie revealed she gets Lumi in the bag by laying him down first then sliding his arms and legs in before flattening his fur and clipping it shut.
Samoyeds are known for their playful and adventures natures.
According to the American Kennel Club, they tend to weigh anywhere from 35 to 65 pounds.
In a follow up video, Jackie revealed she gets Lumi in the bag by laying him down first then sliding his arms and legs in before flattening his fur and clipping it shut
Social media users flocked to the comments section and gushed over the fluffy pup
They are said to be ‘beautiful but highly functional’ and ‘smart, social, mischievous dogs who demand love and attention.’
Social media users flocked to the comments section and gushed over the fluffy pup.
‘He’s the cutest. I’m sitting here with an enormous smile spread across my face,’ wrote one person.
‘So adorable,’ commented another user.
One user added: ‘He’s the cutest.’
‘What a sweet pup lol,’ added one person.
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