Update on the Dog Ban in Austin

The Austin City Council was going to consider an amendment to the city restaurant code prohibiting dogs on the patios of restaurants at the February 16 Council meeting. However, they tabled the discussion until their next meeting on March 2. Too busy deciding to give the City Manager a raise, I guess.

Anyway, we have two newer Austin City Council members, Jennifer Kim and Lee Leffingwell to thank for backing this proposed amendment to the city's restaurant code. According to Kim, "The state has its own health code and the city just adopted that wholesale, and one of the provisions is they only make exception for seeing eye dogs." Which sounds like a bit of dereliction of duty on the part of the council members. Why didn't they look at the state health code in depth before accepting it lock, stock and barrel? Anyway, the proposed amendment would give restaurants the option to allow dogs on their patios. I know there are several in town who would allow the pets back on their premises. Freddies for one, but also Opal Divine's which apparently has been gathering signatures in support of the amendment.

I did read, though, that in a poll conducted by News 8, a majority of Austinites were either opposed or indifferent to the amendment. I think those are the people who are still bitter from the smoking ban or who never dine outside anyway. Many people indicated that they were afraid of dogs fighting each other or biting people. There are people out there I would be afraid of fighting or biting who are dining on patios all the time! And what about the children with little or no supervision. You know the ones that are in to everything, making lots of noise and annoying every0ne else around them , but apparently their own parents who are oblivious to their behavior. These kids are more of a hazard than the dogs.

Well, let's keep good thoughts and maybe (for once) the City Council will do the RIGHT thing.