Plan B Forum

Thank you for your enquiry to ACT Health.

The laws concerning the presence of animals in food premises have not
changed. Under clause 24 of Standard 3.2.2 of the Australia New
Zealand Food Standards Code, animals other than assistance animals are
not permitted in dining and drinking areas and other areas used by
customers. These areas include a food premises and any associated
outdoor dining areas.

The Health Protection Service (HPS) of ACT Health has not changed its
approach to this issue, which is treated as any other food safety issue.
The HPS has not planned any “crack down on dogs in the outdoor areas of
cafes”.

Thank you again for your enquiry.

Regards

HPS

So it's illegal to have a sit down in an outdoor cafe and have a coffee, if I have my mutts with me, but I'm not going to be done for it...

Keeps the pollies in work I suppose

If you accept that dogs should not be around where food is being served indoors, then the fact that food is being served outdoors should make no difference.

If you can lick your rear you don't belong here...

On the other hand, if assistance dogs are allowed indoors for people with vision difficulties, then what is this discrimination against dogs that help me with a mental disability (I really want to eat with my pet)?

We found that restaurants in Ottawa and most of the Maritimes would allow our dog to join us when we were seated outdoors. These were places that had tables you could access without going through the building.

How many times have you been eating at an open-air table when someone with a dog passes by on the sidewalk? I have and the dog was close enough that I could have reached out to pet it.

Your eating out doors, do you expect the place to be free of birds and squirrels too?

Ok we might not like the French that much here in the UK but at least they are civilised when it comes to dogs. when we visited Normandy a couple of years ago it was common to see dogs under the tables inside cafe's.

We're off to Brittany in the summer with our dogs. Not only can we take them into the site cafe but they also have a dedicated dog bathing building, useful if you don't want dogs covered in sand and seawater running amok in the caravan.

Ok, so if I'm out at a cafe and sat outdoors, I can keep my dog outside the (sometimes invisible) barrier, but not inside. Seems a bit arbitrary to me.

We are stupid about our food hygiene laws over here.

I loved the fact that dogs could go in pubs and on the track to Snowdon when I was in the UK.

Truly civilised.

Scooter wrote:If you accept that dogs should not be around where food is being served indoors, then the fact that food is being served outdoors should make no difference.

I would think it would depend on the reason why the dogs are not welcome inddors; if it's to spare folks with animal allergies, then I think outdoors is a very different thing.

People are more likely to trip over the buggers indoors too.

Is dog on the menu?

My ex has eaten dog, in fact, there is a special breed raised just for that purpose.

I don't fancy eating any carnivore, other than fish.

I do not think I am that curious as to ever try dog..

(Though I have eaten croc. Do they count when they are in water so much? )

Actually dog can be quite good if prepared properly. Just don't try to eat the tongue, it isn't very good.

I loved that in DC I could bring my dog along to the outdoor areas of cafes.

Knowing what I know about most restaurant kitchens from my years waiting tables, I see no reason to ban dogs from the floors indoors of most cafes/pubs, either. You are far more likely to get sick from the person handling your food or the food itself, than from a dog's presence.

I say ban kids and smokers and bring on the dogs. Dogs are better behaved and smell better even when wet.