Dog Friendly Restaurants Palm Beach Gardens
No more need to bring home a doggie bag for Fido or Rover: restaurants in suburban Palm Beach County can now welcome four-legged diners — legally.
The new rule will require drive-thru or sit-down restaurants located outside of municipal limits to get a health department permit, which will officially allow patrons and their furry companions to sit together outdoors. Palm Beach County Commissioners approved the change last month.
The request for "dog-friendly dining" came from Lazy Dog Restaurants, a chain that began in California with locations in Texas, Colorado and Virginia. The restaurant has a "pup menu" that offers a choice of hamburger or chicken breast with brown rice and vegetables.
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The chain on Oct. 13 opened its first Florida location on Glades Road, west of Boca Raton, but hasn't yet been able to lawfully welcome dogs.
That's because before 2006, the state banned dogs from restaurants. But then-state Sen. Dave Aronberg introduced a bill that would leave it up to local governments to let restaurants apply for a permit to welcome dogs in outside patio areas.
"I was ahead of my time," said now-Palm Beach State Attorney Aronberg. "This was controversial."
Aronberg named the bill after Destin state Sen. Charlie Clary's Yorkshire terrier, Dixie Cup Clary.
"After we passed it, restaurants just started doing it" with or without a permit, he said.
Today, the permitting rule is "observed in the breach," Aronberg said, meaning some restaurants welcome pooches sans permits more often than not.
"Waiters are so used to it now, when they see a dog, they don't bat an eye; they just bring them water," he said.
Existing dog-friendly restaurants see benefit
Just a handful of Palm Beach County municipalities have official rules on the books, which may be because of laissez-faire enforcement or the issue not being a top priority. When the Dixie Cup Clary law passed, Delray Beach's mayor at the time said the budget and hurricane preparations were of higher importance.
Palm Beach Gardens passed an ordinance in 2010, with Boynton Beach following suit two years later. Juno Beach left the decision up to restaurants in 2006 and didn't require a permit until 2014. Tequesta in July became the latest municipality to get dog-dining rules.
Being so close to Jupiter Dog Beach, Thirsty Turtle Seagrill in Juno Beach often gets sandy-pawed patrons, said manager Ed Lohmann.
"I think it's definitely a benefit," he said of welcoming pups with their owners. "On the weekends, sometimes it's like a kennel out there (on the patio)."
On occasion, customers will let their dogs off the leash, which isn't allowed, Lohmann said. And like at Thirsty Turtle, some diners at The Cooper at PGA Commons will let their dogs commit another no-no of sitting on the furniture, said manager James Stone.
"People love their pets like they love their children," Stone said.
The Palm Beach Gardens restaurant has allowed dogs to dine with their owners since it opened six years ago, Stone said. The experience has been positive "95% of the time."
"Of course, everyone has their own opinions on it. When people are eating outside, they understand they're in a pet-friendly environment," Stone said.
Waiters bring out water dishes for four-legged diners, and sometimes their human counterparts order up a bun-less hamburger or grilled chicken to nosh on.
"I've seen a pet eat a filet before," Stone said.
What are the rules for dog dining at restaurants?
According to the dog-dining rules for restaurants in unincorporated parts of Palm Beach County, dogs must be leashed at all times and can't sit on tables or chairs. The outdoor tables are required to have hand sanitizer and staff must wash their hands after petting the dog.
"At Lazy Dog, we're all about creating a place where you can connect with your friends and family and enjoy the hospitality you get in a small, mountain town," said Patrick Weyland, operating partner of Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar Boca Raton. "We know dogs are a big part of the family, so we are excited that they can now get the same warmth and care that our guests get."
Hannah Morse is a reporter covering Palm Beach County. She can be reached at hmorse@pbpost.com or 561-820-4833. Follow her on Twitter at @mannahhorse.
Source: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/2021/11/15/doggie-dining-allowed-suburban-palm-beach-county-dog-friendly-restaurants/6192434001/
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