Letters

Thank you so much to Arden Moore for helping to publicize the new law passed by Boynton Beach city commissioners, welcoming well-mannered dogs to be a part of the dining experience.
    At long last, we are following the European example, where pets dining at restaurants in the company of their owners has been a perfectly normal sight for many years. For far too long, we have permitted the “anti-pet” crowd to dominate discussion on this subject. Pets, particularly dogs, have come to be seen as “the enemy,” and are banned from restaurants, stores, condominiums and any public gathering area — unless, of course, they are an officially certified service dog.
    In a country where fully 65 percent of the population are pet owners, it is absurd not to allow well-mannered pets to accompany their owners.  The key to success for this law is that the animals are “well-mannered,” and it is now clearly up to the owners to show their appreciation by seeing to it that their pets behave correctly.
    Kudos to the Boynton Beach city commissioners who voted for this law. They have chosen to employ progressive thinking for their town, rather than allowing it to founder in the backwash of antiquated and illogical thinking on the subject. Hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, this new law can be expanded to permit dogs to accompany their pets inside the restaurants as well. I don’t see these eating establishments falling apart when my service dog accompanies me inside.       

David Shapiro
South Palm Beach