Dogs to be allowed in Minnesota Restaurants

This is completely stupid. Those dogs represent a much larger health hazard in a restaurant then what smokers do. The lawmakers definitely live in a different world.

Hello Bobmnu, Back in the late '80s through the mid-'90s my state had no laws against animals in restaurants. In fact, one of my favorite Sunday Brunch spots was a country restaurant where the bantam chickens would regularly interact with the diners. The chickens would generally wander around outside, though every once in a while a diner would end up with a chicken affectionately standing on their foot, under the dining table. During that time, I had a dog named "Boo" who went everywhere with me. Cross-country trips, festivals, canoeing, and yes -- even to restaurants. Boo was always a welcomed addition, because he behaved impeccably. Do I think it's a good idea for everyone to bring their dog, cat, hampster, macaw, etc... into restaurants? No, that's not a good idea, at all. However, I think it's fine in country restaurants -- IF the animals are well behaved. AND, if the animal owners are responsible. For example: it would be completely unacceptable for an owner to bring their mangey dog into a restaurant. Country folks are more exposed to animals and the bacteria that they carry. For example: City folks would have no immunity to particular strains of staph bacteria, which is quite common on beasts of burden, and country pets. For thousands of years, Humans lived in the same caves, teepees, and houses as their animals. In rural or country areas I think it's really OK. By their nature, cities bring their own set of unique challenges -- so many people, so much noise (which is alarming to many animals), and confined quarters, which necessitates a broader commitment to limiting infectious agents. As for the justification being that people "miss their dog": If that's the case, perhaps they should order 'take-out', with a treat or two to share with their buddy.