State Rep. Margaret O'Brien sponsors bill that would allow dogs on restaurant patios

KALAMAZOO, MI --Finally, a dinner companion that won't spend all their time staring at a smartphone. Man and woman's best friend may soon be able to dine al fresco with their owners in Michigan, under a proposed bill going before the House Tourism Committee Thursday.

The measure (House Bill 4335), brought by state Rep. Margaret O'Brien, R-Portage, would allow cities and restaurants to decide whether to allow dogs in outdoor seating areas.

In recent years, more Americans have begun traveling with their pets. The measure may make Michigan more attractive to dog lovers, she said.

Michigan is a tourism state. We've become a destination state, said O'Brien. We just want to make sure Michigan has one more tool in the tool belt.

The bill would allow cities to decide whether they wanted to pass an ordinance, and then individual restaurants could decide whether they wished to allow pooches on their patios, O'Brien explained. Dogs, excepting service dogs, would not be allowed inside establishments.

"It won't be a mandate, said O'Brien, who added that the measure might not make sense for restaurants outside of tourism centers. We didn't want to step on any toes.

Over 49 percent of U.S. adult leisure travelers consider their pet to be part of the family and 18 percent of leisure travelers usually take their pets with them when they travel, according to the U.S. Travel Association.Locally, 31 hotels in the Kalamazoo area allow pets, according to Expedia.com.

There is no federal law governing pet dogs in restaurants. Service dogs are permitted under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

More than 4,000 restaurants nationwide already allow dogs in outdoor seating areas, according to USA Today. Accommodations for canine companions are concentrated in tourist-heavy states such as California and Florida. Florida passed a law in 2006 that let cities decide whether to provide exemptions allowing restaurants to permit dogs in outdoor areas. In 2012, Los Angeles County amended its health code to allow pets to sit with their owners at outdoor tables.

Other cities allowing restaurants to apply for permits or variances include New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Knoxville, Tenn., and Kansas City, Mo.

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State Rep. Margaret O'Brien sponsors bill that would allow dogs on restaurant patios