Most of us have a favorite restaurant, determining that choice by the quality of the food, the efficiency of the service or just the proximity to work.
Some of us may now add a new factor in deciding where we would most like to spend a Saturday lunch hour -- whether the pooch is welcome.
The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources has ruled that it is OK if restaurants decide, on their own, whether cats and dogs should be allowed to sit with their masters in outdoor areas. (Yes, cat lovers, we know that feline pets don't really have "masters," but, honestly, who is going to take a cat to a pizza parlor?)
There are restrictions. Only cats and dogs are allowed. They must be restrained and cannot go through the indoor seating area to get to the outdoor patio. They also can't come into contact with food, food-service items or food preparers. We're assuming this does not bar the pet owner from slipping the pet a french fry or two.
These rules apply only to pets, not service animals or patrol dogs. The previous state regulations established as much as a two-point health-inspection deduction for restaurants that allowed pets in the outdoor eating areas. The rule change became effective Wednesday.
Now that the state has decided to get out of this business of over-regulating outdoor patios, restaurant owners will decide how they will react individually. And their decisions are likely to come after a quick appraisal of their customers' sentiments.
Some of us can't stand the thought of having animals around as we eat. Let a cat walk into the room, and some people will gag at the thought of cat hair in their soup.
Others think it is totally smart and relaxing to have the pets around when they eat. At many a sidewalk bistro, diners can be seen with their pets on a leash sprawled beneath the table or chair. If nothing else, the pets make for good conversation starters with fellow diners.
Not everything will go swimmingly, of course. There will be times when dogs snarl at each other. And a dog might jump up unexpectedly and knock over a drink. A cat might jump up on a table. So, we suggest that restaurant owners have contingency plans in place for settling any disputes that are likely.
The bottom line is that our pets make great companions and, for those of us who want them to accompany us to the café, that is now permitted. That's an improvement.
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