Letter: We're OK(9) with it

I can say we certainly are all for the idea of dogs being allowed to join their owners at outdoor restaurants.

Many people are taking their pets (usually dogs) with them everywhere anyway. It’s certainly preferable from our point of view to have a pet on the restaurant patio with its owner than to be left in a car or tied up to a tree outside somewhere.

Besides, pets are great at breaking the ice and making people feel more at ease and informal. There are many restrictions on just where in a restaurant and under what conditions it can be there, so dogs will not be a health hazard or a nuisance to others.

We hope responsible pet owners who take their dog to restaurants do their part to make sure this pilot program is a success so we can see the law allowing doggie dining to become permanent.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment.

Stephen Wright/PR Coordinator, Humane Society of Collier County