Dogs may soon be safe to return to city pubs with a proposal before parliament to protect an old part of Sydney pub culture that has recently been overturned by council rangers and health and safety laws.

Over the past year, there have been several reports of council officials fining drinkers up to $600 for having dogs in pubs, leading many publicans to reluctantly introduce bans.

Peter Philip said he designed his Wayward Brewery's tasting room to be dog-friendly from the start. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Council rangers cite laws that prohibit dogs being within 10 metres of food consumption. But beer, in the eyes of state law at least, is a food too, meaning owners (and publicans) can be fined for a dog being in the front drinking room of a public bar.

Following council inspections and threatened fines to publicans too a number of Balmain's famously dog friendly pubs such as the The London and Dry Dock have been forced to stop allowing dogs after welcoming them for the past 30 years.