With patio season in full swing, Nisha Bansal loves to enjoy a meal outdoors with her companion Coco.
While her wagging tail and faded blue leash aren't offered a place at most establishments, the 2-year-old chihuahua-yorkie mix may soon be welcome at some of Bansa's favorite spots for a bite.
“Since I got her, I try to bring her wherever I can really,” Bansal said, as her 5-pound pup dismissed the water that was brought to her in a small paper cup at Le Pain Quotidien. “If I’m going to sit here by myself, I may as well bring her with me. I know other cities are dog friendly and I think as long as the owner is mindful of their dog it’s a good idea.”
Bansal's wish has slowly become a reality in some cities and states across the nation, including California, which passed legislation that allows dogs to eat on outdoor restaurant patios in 2011. New York may become the next major state to adopt a "Dining with Dogs" law; a bill on the matter is currently on Gov. Andrew Cuomo's desk awaiting a decision.
Even where the practice isn't explicitly allowed under state or local laws, catering to canine-owning customers can be good for business. Allowing animals to accompany their humans to meals helps restaurants gobble up a slice of the major cash Americans spend on and with their pets. That figure is expected to exceed $60.5 billion this year, according to the American Pet Product Association.
As the money spent on animals grows, so do the number of pet-friendly businesses.
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Pet-friendly hotels and restaurants have blown up in recent years, according Becca Barnett, social media manager at BringFido.com, which hosts a database of dog-friendly hotels, events, attractions, and restaurants across the U.S. and Canada.
Barnett said the site has seen its listings grow from 10,000 to more than 100,000 as "people integrate animals in their every day life.”
"It’s really picking up in all the categories," she said.
Restaurant owners are taking note. Nikki Leo, owner of Blunch in Boston, allows patrons to eat outside with their dog and provides a water bowl and occasional treat for the eager animals.
“A dog is an extension of the family," she said. "If you’re walking it and want something to eat, they can get a sandwich and have their dog with them.”
And many patrons appreciate the inclusion. Ben Hemani frequents Blunch often, and said being with Bode, his four-month-old Golden Retriever, relieves some of the guilt after spending the work days apart.
“I don’t work from home very often, so it’s hard to be at work all day, come home and then leave for a few hours again…the most common reaction I get from people is they want to pet the dog and play with him," he said in a phone interview.
And at some places, it's not just dogs getting in on the dining scene.
Marcel’s in Washington D.C. is one of a smaller number of restaurants to allow both dogs and cats on its patio, though animals don't frequent to the upscale restaurant too often.
“Why not? It’s only for three or four months of the year, that’s not bad. Especially in a casual setting I don’t think it’s a problem," Adnane Kebaier, the assistant manager at the French and Belgian restaurant, said.
Despite the popularity among pet owners, the practice has drawn criticism from some health officials. While it doesn't rule on allowing dogs in outdoor eating spaces, the U.S. Department of Health states in its code that live animals are not allowed inside restaurants unless they are service dogs.
“We agree with the Food and Drug Administration and county health departments across the state that animals can create a risk to the health and safety of diners, restaurant workers, and other dogs,” Christopher Miller, the press secretary for the New York State Department of Health, said in a statement. “Dogs in restaurants create unsanitary conditions, and their presence outdoors at sidewalk cafes…invites opportunity for negative interactions and bites.”
And some patrons believe the practice goes a step too far, and people should leave their pets at home.
“I wouldn’t really like to be near a patio full of dogs if I’m going to go al fresco,” said New Yorker James Jones, who has managed restaurants in the past. ”There’s just certain places I don’t want to be. If I wanted to be exposed to dogs I would go to a dog park — or own a dog.”
Diners like Jones may soon find themselves seated next to a furry companion more often, as more states and cities follow the lead of California and early adopters Alexandria, Virginia, and Austin, Texas, which changed local laws in 2006. Animal lovers in New York have been working to overturn the state's law banning restaurants from allowing dogs to dine outdoors.
“This is about dogs, and dogs being man’s best friend, and having the right to sit at the dinner tables with their families,” said Judie Mancuso, founder of Social Compassion in Legislation, an animal rights organization that has worked on the effort to legalize the practice in New York and other places. “People love to do it, it’s already being done. Restaurants are breaking the law to give people the opportunity to do it. (The law) just screams ‘I’m old and outdated’ because everyone is breaking the law anyway.”
The fate of the "Dining with Dogs" bill backed by Social Compassion in Legislation is in the hands of Cuomo after winning approval in the New York state Legislature. While Mancuso didn't predict an outcome, the group remains hopeful that a win in New York could set a precedent for the rest of the nation.
“We have success, we put it out there as a model, and we move on,” she said. “That’s the beauty of having success and getting publicity. People go ‘Whoa, you put that down, we want that here.’”
