A letter writer is not impressed with dogs being allowed into the alfresco/restaurant areas along Mooloolaba Esplanade.

A letter writer is not impressed with dogs being allowed into the alfresco/restaurant areas along Mooloolaba Esplanade. Claudia Baxter

I AM writing to express concern and dismay about the ever-increasing presence of dogs being allowed into the alfresco/restaurant areas along Mooloolaba Esplanade.

I do like dogs and have always had them as pets since a child, but it beats me why people need to take them out to eat with them, even sitting them on their lap and feeding them titbits off their own plates.

Quite often their drinking water is left spilt on the pavement or tiles for small children to trip over or elderly people to slip on and perhaps break a hip.

My husband and I often eat out on Mooloolaba Esplanade and we constantly see dogs of all sizes sitting among the tables - often slobbering all over the floor area and sometimes barking madly at other passing dogs.

I have even observed waiters patting dogs and then serving food to customers without washing their hands.

Recently my husband and I were having breakfast at one of the very crowded cafes and a group of four people came and sat down at the table next to us but not before the owner of a large black dog shook out the dog's large 'personal blanket' in my direction before laying it down next to me.

We were very offended by his extremely rude manners, not caring that we were sitting so close - we were obliged to move from our chosen table to another one some distance away.

My point is it is totally unhygienic to have dogs within the eating areas.

After all, dogs are dogs, but it seems these days people are treating their dogs as 'humans' and fellow humans as 'dogs'.

Surely there are more appropriate areas where owners can bond with their pets.

I have since contacted council about the health-related issues about this matter and was informed it is up to the restaurant owners to police this.

KAY CAMPBELL

Buderim