Restaurant welcomes dogs

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Updated: November 27, 2011 1:20PM

Q. I’m a waiter at an exclusive restaurant in a trendy neighborhood. We provide seating on the sidewalk for outdoors service and many customers take advantage of this, especially ones with dogs. We allow dogs if they are tied up and stay under the table. (This part of the city is very dog friendly and there must be as many dogs as people.) But I have a problem with customers who bring their dogs to the outdoor cafe because it seems cruel to the dogs. They have to sit confined in the heat. We’re busy enough with paying customers and can’t provide bowls of water for the dogs. Wouldn’t the panting, trussed pets be happier at home?

Sure, the sight of a dog panting and stowed under a table is not pleasant. One just assumes the mutt is miserable. Not always the case. Dogs enjoy hanging out with the people they love. And responsible dogged diners know best. Dog Lady gives them a break. If they’re savvy enough to eat at your establishment, they’re smart enough to accommodate their dogs’ needs.

Q. I attempted to adopt a dog from a local rescue group. After several polite emails back and forth, and completing a lengthy questionnaire, my son, husband and I traveled across the county on a sweltering day to meet the dog. We were interested in adopting him, but apparently we did not measure up, because I never heard from the group again. I later adopted a beautiful dog from the county’s kennel. He just passed away after seven years with us. I will never deal with a rescue group again. Let them keep and maintain all those dogs since, apparently, they are the only ones capable of doing so.

A. We cannot diminish the good work of rescue groups whose members care deeply about particular dog breeds, although such exertion may sound snobby to the uninitiated.

Remember, you had a bad experience with one rescue group. And you will never really know what happened. They might have lost your phone number. These groups are run by volunteers who may not always be attentive to good business protocol.

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