FDA: Dogs Okay At Restaurants In Outdoor Seating

CBS News reports:

Do you like taking your dog to restaurants? Go ahead, it’s fine, according to the Food and Drug Administration which now says it’s safe to bring dogs to restaurants with outdoor seating.

The new guidance came in an update to the 2022 FDA food code. The FDA stated that its health rules “allow for pet dogs in outdoor dining areas, where approved.”

The agency still says dogs shouldn’t go inside restaurants or anywhere where food is prepared unless they’re service dogs. There’s no exception for emotional support dogs. If a restaurant opens its doors to dogs, the FDA rules say it must do so for all breeds.

Read the full article.

The FDA issued new guidance allowing dogs in outdoor seating areas of restaurants, just in time for spring and amidst ongoing debates over COVID-era outdoor dining rules. But it depends on whether state and local laws, and the restaurant, allow it. https://t.co/TASOW2iF7z

— Axios (@axios) April 25, 2023