Diners love to sit outside with their dogs on the patio of The Bearded Pig, a restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida. But late last year, the restaurant’s owners found out only service dogs trained to help people were allowed at their restaurant. While many local governments allow dogs at outdoor dining areas, Jacksonville’s was not one of them. The Bearded Pig’s co-owner, Chad Munsey, wasn’t ready to ban four-legged guests.
“Dogs are part of people’s families,” he says. “They want to take them to lunch and dinner, and we’ve always encouraged that.”
Munsey and his co-owner persuaded local leaders to change the rules. As of January, Jacksonville restaurants can apply to have dog-friendly patios.
Many people are thrilled to not leave their pets at home when they dine out. But others don’t want to eat with dogs—especially if they drool, pee, or poop.