A photo posted to a local Facebook page showing a woman who seated her dog on the seat of a booth at the table of a Rock Springs, Wyoming, restaurant has hit a nerve, splitting the community. Some are appalled, calling the act “entitled” and unhygienic while and others clap back, telling people to leave the woman and her dog alone.
“RANTTTT,” reads the text above a photo in the Sweetwater County Rants and Raves group. “If you've already made the entitled decision to bring your dog to a restaurant (Sapporo), DO NOT let it sit on the bench where other people will sit. Disgusting and inconsiderate.”
The image has ignited a deeper emotional debate about allowing animals in restaurants.
Some responding urged others to be considerate of the woman’s circumstances and to consider whether the dog is a service dog. Some said it appeared the dog was behaving well, and others theorized that children are much messier than dogs and they’re allowed to sit at the table.
“If your entitled backside is too pristine to sit in the same restaurant as a dog,” wrote one commenter. “You are the problem and not the dog.”
Other commenters, conversely, agreed with the rant, saying people need to get out of the mindset of regarding dogs as humans. Others said they’re OK with a dog in the restaurant, but having the animal sit at the table like a diner crosses the line.
“Everyone should take a moment to actually think this through,” wrote one man. “This is a food establishment, not your home kitchen. Could this be a service dog? Yes, but it would be more responsible for this person to use a designated vest or tag to express that. People have allergies, and unless you have a certified service animal, you have no right bringing in a pet that could disrupt someone else in public food establishments.”
State rules, Wyoming culture and basic etiquette all come into play as well.
The Socialite Dogs Of Wyoming
The Wyoming Department of Agriculture, which oversees restaurant cleanliness standards, bars all animals except service dogs from restaurants, Sara Geffre, environmental health supervisor for the Sweetwater County Health Department, told Cowboy State Daily on Thursday.
The department’s website links to federal rules saying restaurant staffers can only ask a person if a dog is required because of a disability, and what task the dog is supposed to perform. Staffers should not ask for documentation or proof that the dog can perform a service, the guidance says.
Perhaps a feature of the state’s individualist culture, many Wyomingites disregard rules about bringing dogs into food-serving establishments. It is not uncommon to see ranchers’ dogs follow them into small-town Wyoming bars after a day’s work.
As for Jerry Zhang, the owner of Sapporo, he said he leans toward the softer side of the issue for a few reasons: He doesn’t want to force a lonely or disabled person away from her dog; he doesn’t want a dog left in a hot vehicle; and he cleans meticulously between guests anyway.
“If the dog is good, no barking — I say OK,” said Zhang. “From my heart, I feel sorry if I reject (them).”
On the other hand, he said he’s sorry if dogs make some people uncomfortable, and said he hopes to compensate with his rigorous cleaning. He said his staffers wipe down seats between customers and clean the entire restaurant each day.
“I always tell myself to put yourself in others’ shoes to feel how others feel,” said Zhang. “That’s why I’m (allowing well-behaved dogs).”
Well, That All Depends
Rosalinda Oropeza Randall, author of etiquette guide book “Don’t Burp In The Board Room,” said everyone’s handling of this situation depends on the circumstances.
The first consideration should be whether the region’s rules allow dogs in restaurants, she said.
Told of many Wyomingites’ anti-establishment approach to rules like those, she said the area’s culture is also an important consideration.
Restaurant patrons without dogs can approach the dog situation a few different ways.
Randall said the offended patron should consider whether he or she is actually suffering from the dog’s presence.
“Is what you’re seeing really affecting the dining experience, or are you so focused on something you don’t like that you’re ruining your own dining experience?” she asked hypothetically.
If the dog is not harming anyone, it may be wise to overlook the odd guest, said Randall.
But if the dog is a problem, the patron can approach either the dog owner or the restaurant manager, depending on the problem’s nature.
For example, a stinky dog can spoil the dining experience of others seated near it.
“Little white lies” may come in handy, said Randall, adding that someone can tell the dog owner something like, “Sorry, I have a mild dog allergy, could you please move him to the other side of the table?”
If that’s not a viable option, the patron can approach the manager and ask to be re-seated elsewhere.
And lastly, the patron may need to ask the manager to address the dog situation, especially if the dog is causing other problems, she said.
As for the restaurant owner, he may have to weigh whether his dog policy is costing him business or not, which is another consideration that links back to a region’s culture.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
