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Dog-friendly dining? Boston.com readers say keep the pups at home.
Plus, a map of all the restaurants and beer gardens you can bring your dog this summer.
Boston is taking steps to become a more pet-friendly city by allowing dogs in more outdoor spaces. It’s welcome news for many dog owners and lovers in the city, but Boston.com readers aren’t too thrilled about the change.
“Between the barking, begging, and having to hear their owners disciplining or correcting them constantly, dogs create an agitated atmosphere. I’m not paying good money to put up with it. Animals, like smoking, don’t belong in dining and drinking venues,” said Henry from Boston.
On June 1, the city opened applications for restaurants and beer gardens with outdoor spaces to allow dogs. More than two dozen local establishments have already been approved, according to the Inspectional Services Department’s Health Division.
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The new policy isn’t a free-for-all. All four-legged patrons must be kept on a leash or inside a pet carrier, they aren’t allowed inside any restaurants, and employees aren’t allowed to touch any dogs. Despite those rules, 59% of the 982 readers who responded to our informal poll about the new policy said they were against it and 55% said they wouldn’t eat or visit any outdoor dining space that allows dogs.
Do you think Boston should allow dogs at establishments with outdoor spaces?
Yes
38%
No
59%
Other
2%
Would you go to a restaurant or beer garden where dogs are allowed?
Yes
41%
No
55%
Other
3%
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said the goal of the new policy is to allow Boston to be a “vibrant, family-friendly city.”
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“Residents and small business owners have been eager for four-legged family members to be able to enjoy our outdoor spaces too, so we’re happy to make this regulatory change allowing dogs on outdoor patios and beer gardens,” the mayor said in a press release.
JC from Melrose told Boston.com it’s a move that will help pet owners and businesses alike. He said he’ll be visiting pet-friendly restaurants this summer, but others should feel free to avoid them if they so choose.
“It’s a business decision to allow pets or not. If one business thinks it’s a competitive advantage to allow people to bring their pups, they shouldn’t be restricted from doing so,” he said. “If another business thinks the hassle of potential issues with pets isn’t worth it? They can have a ‘no dogs’ policy. And then the customers can vote with their patronage as they see fit.”
Readers on Boston.com social media felt much more positive about man’s best friend joining in at outdoor patios. Seventy-four percent of the 2,201 readers polled on our Instagram said dogs should be welcomed.
“We are only going to dog-friendly patios this summer,” one reader shared. Gary V. from Maynard, another reader in favor of dog-friendly outdoor dining, agreed.
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“Archaic laws are in place that stop dogs from being with their human who just wants a beer and/or coffee in the sunshine! I go out of my way to find dog-friendly establishments and patronize them frequently,” he said.
For readers who’d rather see dogs left at home, the reasons were varied. Below you’ll find a sampling of their responses as well as a map of Boston beer gardens and restaurants that have already been approved for the new policy.
Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Do you think Boston should allow dogs at restaurants and beer gardens with outdoor spaces?
‘I don’t want to dine around poorly behaved dogs’
“While I am a dog lover, there’s no way that several dogs put together in a relatively close space are going to get along. Most people do not train their dogs well enough, in general. So there’s the pecking order and some dogs are very alpha. They aren’t going to behave well. Barking, sniffing others or even licking others, lunging for a dropped morsel from another table, shedding, the accidental poop or pee, growling, yanking on the leash to get somewhere, just having a dog sit there and stare at you while you are trying to enjoy your meal…sorry, not for me.” — Corrie, Gloucester
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“I don’t want to dine around poorly behaved dogs. They freak my kid out. And not to be all ‘slippery slope’ on this but allowing them outside will lead to more people trying to bring the dogs inside. Maybe restaurant owners will flout the laws, maybe emboldened dog owners will just ignore them. But dogs will end up inside.” — Brian, Amesbury
“I love my dog but don’t expect everyone else to. I leave mine home and wish others would too. I’ve met people who let their big dogs jump on others and think their dog is well-behaved and harmless. Dogs are not ‘fur babies’ and we shouldn’t treat them as such.” — Joyce, Westborough
“I’ve been bitten by a dog whose owner said, ‘Don’t worry! He’s friendly!’ I don’t think dog owners are always clear about their dogs’ behaviors. The owner of the dog that bit me was as shocked as I was. It would be difficult for servers to intervene in situations where dogs are borderline threatening, dog owners are defensive, and other diners are uncomfortable so why create that situation in the first place?” — Sharron C., Gloucester
“I’m petrified of dogs. There is no respect or understanding for people who genuinely are afraid of dogs. I would not go to an establishment that allows dogs. I also consider it unsanitary. And think of the owners who will not be responsible enough, and the dog will take off inside or outside the restaurant.” — Karen K., Marblehead
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“Dogs are generally dirty, hairy, smelly, tick-carrying, saliva-dripping, and loud. That is okay for running in the woods and outdoors, but not okay when we’d like to eat at a restaurant and want cleanliness. It’s always a challenge to be diplomatic and tell the owner, ‘No thank you, please do not have your dog jump on my child’ … or sniff or grab our food, or randomly pee on anything with greenery. Dogs are beautiful but they are not little people. It’s easier and cleaner without dogs.” — Jo, Boston
“My 10-year-old son is severely allergic to dogs and as a result, is terrified of them. It’s a pretty reasonable response to an animal that can stop him from breathing just by being in the same air space! Unless dogs start ordering off the menu, paying, and tipping their server…why would you cater to them and potentially exclude paying human customers? It’s just crazy to me.” — Kyle, Dorchester
‘They should be welcomed in restaurants!’
“I have a dog that I never want to leave behind. He’s well-socialized and respectful of people. He would sit by me quietly as I ate. He’d be more focused on my dinner than anything else!” — Greg, Sudbury
“Dogs are members of families and the more they can spend time with their family the healthier they are. I support dogs being allowed at restaurants. Yes, yes, yes!” — Frank F., Jamaica Plain
“I spend the winter in Florida and my dog (well-behaved, on a leash) comes to almost all restaurants with me. We sit on the patio and the dog is under the table, out of the way of waiters and patrons. A number of places even have a menu for the dog. It encourages us to go out for lunch more often as we don’t have to lock the dog up and it is good socialization for her. We often pick our restaurant because it lets us bring the dog to the patio. In my honest opinion, this would be a great improvement for outdoor Boston dining.” — Kim S., North Reading
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“I’m in favor of letting the establishment decide. If they believe their clientele would prefer to have dogs or not then they should have the option to decide how they would like to operate.” — Matt, Fenway
“Pets are family members. I find the current option given to families with a furry member to either stay home with their dog(s) or go out to dinner or for a drink without their pets to be simply unacceptable! Of course, owners should be responsible for their dog’s behavior, but it is no different than going out with kids. If your kids do not behave in public, taking them out to restaurants in the city might not be the best idea. Just like you should keep your pet at home if you have any safety concerns. But if you don’t, if your dog is absolutely comfortable around other people, they should be welcomed in restaurants!” — Nina, Needham
Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.
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