Their day has come: New York dogs are finally welcomed to dine with their owners in restaurants with patio seating.
After passing both houses, Gov. Andrew Cuomo just signed into law a measure that allows restaurants to have dogs in their outdoor dining areas, but only if there is a separate entrance that doesn’t require canines to walk through the restaurant or where food is prepared. Also, dogs must be leashed and controlled by their owners. While establishments aren’t required to allow pooches on their patio, Cuomo thinks it could help business.
Related: Dogs Are One Step Closer to Being Allowed in New York Restaurants
“This action will give restaurants an additional option to boost revenue and grow their businesses by appealing to this new audience of dog-owning New Yorkers and their four-legged friends,” says Cuomo. “By allowing this additional flexibility and by establishing firm health and sanitary guidelines, this legislation strikes a right balance.
New York is the most recent state to allow pooches on patios. Florida, California and Maryland have similar laws.
Cat people didn’t fair as well with the governor. Cuomo vetoed a proposal that would provide funding to organizations that trap and neuter feral cats and release them into the wild. He cited a few issues including a law already on the books that would possibly make it illegal to release felines into the wild, and the threat the cats would have on wildlife, including hunting birds.
The dog law takes effect immediately.
Image via Flickr/Robert Bieber
