Should dogs be allowed on restaurant patios?

[adambomb]

RS has plenty of dog lovers and dog haters. We're all bitches.

Should dogs be allowed on restaurant patios in Metro Vancouver?
Discuss.



Should Vancouver patios go to the dogs? Petition pushes for relaxation of health rules

[jackmeister]

I'd probably go elsewhere if I paid to eat beside a dog that barks at me or runs around me

[sdubfid]

No leave it at the dog spa to eat organic dog food and they lick their butts

[Spoon]

So when a dog starts shedding and hair starts landing on my food, do I get comped for the meal?

[punkwax]

No.

[keifun]

Theres a reason why animals incl dogs aren't allowed in certain places due to health concerns such as fleas/ticks and some people are allergic to some animals too

Jeez.. people these days.

[melloman]

This topic was brought up on a radio show when I was driving home afew days ago.

The issue 1 caller stated was; "What if the restaurant has a patio, but it's in the back? That means the dog has to go through the restaurant anyway, and that seems definitely unsanitary."

Be it, I wouldn't call it unsanitary, but I'd rather not have a dog INSIDE the restaurant, even if it were just walking through to the back. I don't oppose this if the patio was right off the road and you could keep your dog outside. Down in Yaletown you see alot of people who will eat outside and leash their dog just on the other side of the fence, and eat at the table right next to their dog.

The only reason I'd oppose this is just because every pet owner isn't responsible. You have morons with pets, that let them run wild and I sure as hell would complain to the restaurant and say it's a problem. Enough complaints = restaurant would change policy back anyway for fear of loss of clientele.

That would be the first issue, my second issue is size of dogs. You are going to have people with dogs the size of German Sheperds to Great Danes down to Pomeranians and they will all want to have that luxury of bringing their dog along for food. If you deny big dogs, there will be another backlash and policy would more likely get changed again.

People are too goddamn entitled, why can't we just leave things the fuck alone sometimes.

[dat_steve]

I'd say the current practice of people leashing their dogs by the edge of the patio and sitting next to it makes the most sense/shows the most courtesy...

as a dog owner you wouldn't want to worry about stuff like people tripping over your dog or your dog eating food that falls on the ground. as a server you wouldn't want to worry about tripping over a dog, cleaning up poop, etc. as a patron...bla bla bla

people need to figure out how this common sense thing works.

[123654123]

i like turtles

[white rocket]

Slippery slope. A 2lb dog in a purse is different from a 100+lb bullmastiff chilling beside you at your table. It's all or nothing really. Can't be selective. Leaving it up to the restaurant owners is a possibility but perhaps Health Canada would be put in a liability position. Not sure about that. I'm a hug dog lover and double dog owner but they have their place.

[maxx]

my favorite, are the comments in the van sun section of people saying, my dog is better behaved than your kid, or, my dog is my kid - you sterile, stupid, poor people who wont have kids for any or all of those reasons and think that animals are their fucking kids. Drives me up the wall.

[GLOW]

inb4 animal rights tribunal

[Great68]

Dogs are not people.

[6o4__boi]

no.
i'm a dog owner and i think this is stupid as shit.

[evil_jigglypuff]

No.

That goes same to going to the night markets. With people walking around with their food and others walking around with their dogs elbow to elbow. As somebody had mentioned, what if the dogs hair lands on your food? Doesn't seem very hygienic.

[MarkyMark]

Nah, if everyone was a responsible pet owner it probably wouldn't be a big deal, but you'd end up with some trashy people who's untrained dog would probably walk around jumping up on people eating and whatnot.

[Mr.HappySilp]

so if I was eating in a patio and the dog shits on my shoes. Who will pay for a brand new pair? The dog owner or the restaurant.

What if the dog shits and smells so who will clean up? The waiter or the dog owner. Or better yet coz of the smell it ruin my experience and I demand my meal to be free. Does the restaurant eat the cost or the dog owner have to pay?

What if the dog decides to go crazy and start barking/biting people and actually someone is injury then who is to take care of the bill. Restaurant or the dog owner?

Or like someone said what if a dog hair or the dog gets super happy and decides to jump onto my table starts licking my food or even got some dog hair on my plate. So is the restaurant going to remake my food for free and take the cost or will I have to get the dog owner to pay?

What if the dog owner is an asshole and doesn't care and doesn't want to pay for the damage his/her dog cost? Do we have to call the cops to deal with this or will the restaurant eat the cost?

Some people are allergic to animal furs/hairs so what if you bring your dog in and someone got a allergic reaction so will the dog owner held liable and cover all the medial cost (ambulance etc etc) or worse a person dies coz of allergic reaction? Who to sue the dog owner or the restaurant?

[Culverin]

Originally Posted by white rocket

Slippery slope. A 2lb dog in a purse is different from a 100+lb bullmastiff chilling beside you at your table. It's all or nothing really. Can't be selective.

I totally agree.
A 100 lbs dog is usually trained and knows when to chill out.
The purse dogs I've seen can't sit still and don't know when to shut up.

Not because breed.
Because the types of owners that buy the small purse-dog breeds don't focus on adequate training "because dog and small and I can handle it".

I'm cool if your dog is chilling beside you outside.
But I'd rather it be a "legally not allowed, but generally accepted".


People with allergies should trump dogs.
And liabilities for health and uncontrolled should lie with the restaurant who makes the exception.

I think that's fair?
But would this breed an entitlement? How is it treated in other cities?

[PiuYi]

laws get too nitty gritty these days... restaurants shouldn't need to be constrained by law, they should just be allowed to use discretion

do you want to run the risk of a hygiene/safety issue at your restaurant or not? restaurants should be able to decide

[trollguy]

nah, they shouldnt. like many, i'm also a dog owner.. i get enough dog hair in my food at home.. lol

[7seven]

No, dogs should not be allowed on restaurant patios or inside unless they are authorized guide dogs.

[underscore]

I love dogs, but the vast majority of pet owners are fucking morons. Everyone I know with a half decently trained dog makes their dog go away from the table when they're eating, so why would anyone want some strangers dog so close to their food and kids? I also know a fair number of people who dislike or are afraid of dogs, so should they not be able to eat out because some arrogant twat was too stupid to leave their pets at home?

[GS8]

Absolutely not. Keep it the way it is. I like dogs, btw.

Fuck I can't stand these self-righteous pet owners who put themselves ahead of the needs of the masses. These people need to simply grab their food to go, sit at a dog park somewhere, circle jerk with other self-righteous pet owners about how life is so 'unfair to their fur babies' and stay away from the rest of us.

Man, the way some people treat their pets is embarrassing

[jasonturbo]

It should be up to the restaurant owner IMO, clear signage required.

If you don't like dogs, don't go there. If the owner doesn't want dogs, they are prohibited. Seems pretty straight forward to me.

[ZN6]

I love dogs and I still say fuck no.

Why? Not only for sanitary reasons but have you ever sat beside someone with a purse dog and keeps trying to get at the food only to have some clueless bitch keep saying "No"? It gets annoying really quickly.

Shit, man gets rejected enough already, we don't need to hear man's best friend also getting rejected. Take that shit elsewhere.