Thanks to New Regulation, It’s Much Easier For Dogs to Dine Out in A

Diana Faria
by Diana Faria
It’s patio season, and Fido wants to join you to dine el fresco. And in Albany, New York, you don’t need your dog’s proof of vaccination and registration to sit in a restaurant patio.


The city of Albany, New York passed legislation last year which allows dogs to sit side-by-side with their owners in outdoor sections of bars and restaurants. The Health Department, however, was displeased with the outcome despite roaring support from restaurant owners and law-makers. They retorted by proposing a rule stating that restaurant owners would have to check for proof that the dog was vaccinated and registered, which meant some dogs would still have to be leashed outside.


Related: N.Y. OKs Dogs In Restaurants’ Outdoor Dining Areas


But every dog has his day and finally, the Health Department has rid those requirements, which means any dog can sit with their human without producing paperwork. This is good news for everyone: dogs aren’t left alone, dog owners are more inclined to go to restaurants with their pooches on any given day, and restaurant owners can potentially feel an increase of sales because those pet parents can now come in freely with their dogs and spend their money!


Related: Miss Manners’ Top 10 Tips for Pooch Patio Etiquette


This doesn’t mean that your dog shouldn’t be licensed. Before, the law stated that restaurant owners would have to check every single dog that walked in to check if they were vaccinated and licensed. By nixing these requirements, this simply means that restaurateurs are not required, by law, to check. They are still required to post a notice or sign about licensed dogs.


In addition to crossing out this part of legislation, the Health Department said that restaurant need to use barriers or some sort of method to limit contact between dogs in the outdoor dining area and those who are walking on the adjacent sidewalk. For obvious sanitary reasons, dogs also cannot slobber on or touch any of the dining surfaces.


[ Source: Gothamist]

Diana Faria
Diana Faria

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