(The Associated Press circulated the following on August 24, 2010.)
PORTLAND, Ore. — Dogs are going to be riding Amtrak between Portland and Seattle for the next couple of weeks.
Amtrak officials say dog patrols will be conducted on trains and at the Seattle King Street Station and Portland Union Station through September 10.
Officials say the police canine teams are part of a national effort to increase patrols and handle random passenger bag inspections, but it is not a response to any threat or incident.
According to Amtrak, Portland is the 15th busiest station in the passenger train system, serving over 618,000 passengers last year. Nearly 616,000 passengers passed through the Seattle station.
Last fiscal year, the railroad carried 27.2 million passengers, making it the second-best year in the company’s history.