A new public health policy will give restaurants with outdoor dining areas the authority to allow dogs, Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe announced today. The policy change was prompted by interest on the part of both restaurant and dog owners.

“This new policy has been a long time coming for the residents of Los Angeles County. Though it will be up to the restaurant’s discretion whether to allow dogs in its outdoor eating area, this new policy is a benefit to both small businesses and the community,” said Supervisor Knabe. “This policy will give restaurant owners an opportunity to attract new business and to better serve their two-legged and four-legged patrons.”

Restaurants must follow an established set of guidelines if they choose to allow pet dogs to enter the exterior areas of a food facility’s outdoor dinning area. The new policy goes into effect immediately in Los Angeles County restaurants that are inspected by Public Health; areas not subject to this policy are Pasadena, Long Beach and Vernon.

Click to view the Department of Public Health’s Guidelines for the Allowance of Pet Dogs in Outdoor Dining Areas.