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Bone Appétit? Plano To Consider Whether To Allow Pooches On Patios

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Bone appetit? Dogs could be allowed on patios with diners in Plano -- the City Council votes on the matter Tuesday.

A vote of the Plano City Council Tuesday night could open restaurant patios to diners and their dogs.

The issue was raised by the Katy Trail Ice House Outpost that opened last summer in Plano. The original Ice House in Dallas is a popular spot for Fido and friends, and operators wanted to do the same in Plano.

The ordinance requires all dogs to be on a leash. You wouldn’t be able to feed scraps from the table. All doggie mishaps would have to be immediately cleaned up, and the patio would need to be hosed down before each shift.

If the measure passes, each restaurant that wants to allow dogs on the patio would have to file for permits to do so.

Geoff Heinicke with the Plano Health Department says the proposed dog-friendly ordinance has generated a lot of comment – much more than the usual agenda item.

The city has received over 100 responses on Facebook and Engage Plano, Heinicke told KERA. As of Monday afternoon, 103 were in favor, while 36 weren't in favor.

Former KERA reporter BJ Austin spent more than 25 years in broadcast journalism, anchoring and reporting in Atlanta, New York, New Orleans and Dallas. Along the way, she covered Atlanta City Hall, the Georgia Legislature and the corruption trials of Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards.