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I am all over the place on this one. For every argument I come up with against allowing dogs in restaurants I can come up with a counter argument saying they should be allowed. I guess I am against allowing dogs in restaurants. Mostly because most of my values are based from a time when taking a dog into the restaurant was not even considered and just like everything else there is a large number of people that would abuse the policy.
For the record I have no problem what so ever allowing seeing eye dogs in any place. These dogs are highly trained to be in public places.
Saw it a lot in England. Their dogs were extremely well behaved. Better behaved than a lot of kids that are in restaurants.
Frankly I have no problem with it, except that the law doesn't permit it. It's the entitlement and arrogance that I don't like. The people who think that the rules don't apply to them. I don't blame the dogs.
I've seen it in Germany, England, France and a few other places. I'm talking white tablecloth restaurants. The dog sat quietly under the table while the pack leader ate. I don't have a problem with a well behaved dogs.
There are all kinds of service dogs these days and, unless their "in training" they don't even have to be identified as such.
There have been two instances I'm aware of in just the last two weeks in which patrons with service dogs were asked to leave--a Subway, and a local Starbucks. Businesses are woefully uneducated with respect to the ADA. Service dogs are not required to wear a vest or I.D., and businesses are not allowed to inquire about the person's disability. They are allowed to ask if, in fact, the dog is a service dog, and what it does.
Whether or not people agree with it, that is the law as it currently stands. Business owners who fight it will always lose.
I think bringing a dog, into a restaurant, is one of the most disgusting things ever and restaurants shouldn't allow it, just like the signs they put up saying NO SHOES, NO SHIRT, NO SERVICE. I know people who are allergic to dogs and cats.
Location: The Northeast - hoping one day the Northwest!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocco Barbosa
I was at a NICE restaurant with a buddy and I looked up and saw a lady with a lap dog at the bar. I could not believe it. I told my buddy, had we been sitting over there i would have had an issue with that.
People seem to think dogs are humans. This lady had the dog up in her lap at the bar as if it were a child.
Please, don't try to justify this. I know some of you will.
In that situation, that is not acceptable, however according to ADA service dog regulations, any dog that is trained for a disability is allowed, it does NOT have a seeing eye dog. A good friend of mine was in the military and she has PSTD, high anxiety and a hearing loss. She has a service dog, it helps w/ her anxiety and will help her hear things that she might not hear.
Plus service dogs too for kids and adults that have seizures. There are SERVICE dogs for many different reasons.
So, to answer your question, yes more than just "SEEING EYE DOGS" should be allowed in restaurants.
Naturally this early in the scheme of things, most of us don't expect to see dogs in restaurants. But, unless you just don't care for dogs the presence of a well trained service dog shouldn't bother you. Personally, I'd just be jealous I didn't have my dog with me. I think there are and will be increasing number of walk up outdoor eateries, bars and such that allow dogs. It's a trend with all the new-age bicyclers and such. That happens to be one idea I'd like to see come to be.
Service dogs are a real contribution to society as a whole. If you don't happen to be a pet lover, I'm sure you can put up with a few minutes around a well trained dog. Live and let live it's not a big deal.
I wish some kids would behave as well as trained dogs, but that another story. I think why many people, and restaurants too, are against dogs in restaurants is that they may jump upon a lap or table to grab some food, they may have fleas, they may bark at you or if another dog is around start a dog fight, or just loud barking at each other, some kid/others step on a tail accidently and gets bitten, law suits. Their can be many reasons, besides it's against the law most places unless it's a service dog.
It's a brave new world. We are now being forced to accommodate a great many things. Dogs and restaurants aren't the best mix naturally. No doubt it can present many problems including possible lawsuits. I find putting up with the dogs around food a lot easier than many other things being forced upon us in recent years.
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Better a dog then a child?
That happens to be one idea I'd like to see come to be. 
