Dining out with your pet will be legal at some restaurants under California law starting January 1st. Steve Milne reports from Sacramento as part of our series on “New Laws.”
This new law is all about the dogs.
Yamada: “To all the cat lovers out there I do apologize. This does not extend to cats, at least at this time.”
That’s former state Assembly member Mariko Yamada who wrote the new law.
Several counties already have policies allowing dogs on restaurant patios, but state law actually prohibits it. Yamada says the new law doesn’t force restaurants to allow dogs. It sets up guidelines for how they can accommodate you if you bring your dog.
“And it has to follow certain rules of course. You can’t have chaos out there in the dining area.”
Yamada says those rules include keeping your animal on a leash or in a pet carrier and not allowing your dog to touch restaurant workers or vice versa.
Under the new law, cities and counties will still be allowed to impose local restrictions on dogs at restaurants.