TORONTO

For once, Colin Heilbut would like to take his beloved Lexi shopping and not worry his pet will be dognapped while it waits outside.

Heilbut, 28, and three partners combined their love for dogs and keen business sense to create Petsy, a Toronto start-up that wants more canine-friendly communities.

Petsy is currently compiling a directory of businesses in Toronto that welcome dogs and their owners.

“I have no problem with admitting I am more passionate about my dog than your average dog owner,” said Heilbut. “I’m more worried about her being alone too much.”

Initial talks with stores like American Apparel on Queen St. — which sells doggyware — indicate some are on board. According to Petsy, 14 of 20 dog owners interviewed over the weekend said they would like to bring their pets inside stores.

“I think the city would be a happier place with more dogs in public,” Heilbut said.

However, concerns of dog allergies and a fear of animals were raised by commenters on Reddit’s Toronto forum.

Heilbut admitted the concerns are legitimate but said his time in Paris — where dogs are given free range — showed him it’s possible to have pooches and people mix.

“I’d like to start a cultural movement,” he added. “These things don’t happen overnight.”

Dr. Mark Greenwald, an allergist with Allergy Canada, said a person with sensitivities to dogs would require significant exposure to fur to react badly.

“To have a dog walk through a store and to have an allergic individual react to them, that degree of sensitivity is very rare,” he said.

Chris Yaccato, of the Toronto Beaches Dogs Association, said while he understands the desire to take pets on errands, there should be limitations.

“The point of my thing is, if you’re going to go grocery shopping or clothes shopping, leave your dog at home,” he said. “You can only accommodate so many people.”

Owners repeatedly call Toronto Public Health to find out when their furry friends will be allowed inside restaurants and cafes, Jim Chan, the city’s food safety manager, said.

It’s up to the province to decide because it’s their regulation, Chan said.

“(There’s) no way to rearrange anything inside (restaurants) because of the space,” he said. “So far, not a lot of the approvals (are) being granted.”