A new state rule allowing dogs and cats in outdoor dining areas at restaurants got mostly favorable reactions from restaurants and customers yesterday.
"I'm happy about it. People want to bring their pets here," said Philip "Opie" Kirby, a co-owner of Finnegan's Wake on Trade Street.
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"I think it's a charming idea," said Shannon Oliver, who was eating lunch outside at Hutch & Harris on Fourth Street. "Before, people who were out strolling with their dog couldn't stop and eat at a restaurant."
Matt Marenberg, the manager of Hutch & Harris, said that the restaurant would probably begin allowing dogs on its patio. "We'll bring the dogs water, too."
Marenberg, Kirby and others said they are glad to know about the rules on pets, which took effect yesterday. The rules were issued by the N.C. Division of Environmental Health.
The new rules clear up some haziness. Previously, rules allowed service dogs and patrol dogs. In addition, certain kinds of food establishments, including many coffee shops and bakeries, fall under the jurisdiction of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, which had not banned pets in outdoor dining areas.
Terry Pierce, the director of the state's environmental-health division, said the rule change started out as an effort to clarify the previous rule.
"Some people interpreted the rule as allowing dogs and cats. We interpreted it to exclude dogs and cats (except for service or patrol dogs)," Pierce said.
The N.C. Commission for Public Health started reviewing the rule earlier this year and ended up changing it.
"During the process of public hearings and comments, it evolved," Pierce said. "It wasn't a huge public outcry. But we heard from a lot of people who said, ‘I should be able to eat outside with a dog with me.'"
The rule gives restaurants the choice of allowing dogs, cats, both or none.
Derek Stamey, the manager of Rana Loca, said that people have come to the restaurant on Fourth Street with dogs in the past.
"I don't see a problem with it as long as the dogs don't bother people," he said.
Some do see a problem with it, though.
"I don't think I would like that," said Betty Patterson of Mount Airy, who was eating lunch outside at Hutch & Harris. "You just never know what animals are going to do -- begging for food or whatever."
Cindy Waters, a co-owner of Mellow Mushroom on Fourth Street, said she would not allow pets in her patio area, even though she has a dog. She allowed dogs for a while, but stopped.
"Not all dogs are compatible with each other," she said. "And we had complaints from people who just didn't want dogs near them. This is one of those things, like smoking."
mhastings@wsjournal.com
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