Texas senate approves bill to allow dogs at restaurants

Get ready to dine with your pup across the state. >>See which Houston restaurants are dog friendly. Get ready to dine with your pup across the state. >>See which Houston restaurants are dog friendly. Photo: DuxX/Getty Images/iStockphoto Photo: DuxX/Getty Images/iStockphoto Image 1 of / 60 Caption Close Texas senate approves bill to allow dogs at restaurants 1 / 60 Back to Gallery

Get ready to toast with your pup the next time you dine out.

The Texas senate Tuesday approved a bill that would allow restaurant owners to welcome patrons' dogs at their outdoor dining areas.

Republican Sen. Kelly Hancock authored Senate Bill 476, which is reportedly based on a 2006 Austin ordinance that granted that city's restaurateurs the same privilege.

SB 476 includes certain guidelines: Only restaurants where food is not prepared on the patio can file for this permit. Canines are welcome only at patios, and only if they do not have to enter through a restaurant interior in order to access the outside area. Lastly, dogs must also remain leashed the entire time they're on the restaurant's premises.

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In Houston, a similar order was passed in September 2011: Paws on Patios. Late Houston Planning Director, Patrick Walsh, in 2010 convinced the city council to adjust its health codes for the Paws on Patios grassroots effort. PoP made it legal for food-service establishments to become dog-friendly by obtaining city permits for a one-time fee of $110 per place.

That initiative put Houston on par with other Texas cities that already had a similar permit program in place. Austin led the way in 2006, Dallas in 2007 and San Antonio in 2010.

For some dog lovers, the move is a long time coming, but not everyone is pleased with the bill's approval. Some critics say this is another instance of the state infringing on decisions that should be made at the local level, since this state measure would overturn some city regulations. In fact, the lone "no" vote when this legislation was sent to the House comes courtesy of Republican Sen. Kel Seliger, who said states should not have the authority to instruct cities when it comes to commerce.

What do you think of the bill's approval?

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