WA Bans Dogs from Alfresco

WA the Nanny State strikes again.

Is there a vendetta against Dog Owners in this State??

I actually think there is. Our local newspaper broke the news on its front page.

"WA bans dogs from alfresco"

Yes, the only state in Australia where dogs are banned from accompanying their owners for a cappuccino or latte. It doesn't sound much and in the scheme of things it really isn't such a big deal, but it is just one more example of Big Brother telling us how we should live our lives.

Since living in my current suburb, my dog and his fellow canine friends have been

• banned from walking on the shore by the river
• banned from walking off lead through the local bush land
• banned from walking off the lead on a path that runs along side the river

and now

• banned from the alfresco areas in WA

It seems that there are some extremely mean-spirited people who do not understand the special relationship that forms between people and their canine pets. I have friends who will not leave their dogs behind, so in effect banning dogs, bans the people.

Often the people who rely so much on their canine companions are the lonely, the elderly and the infirm. By banning dogs from such areas they take one more simple pleasure away from such people.

I do not think dogs should be allowed inside cafes or anywhere else where food is sold or prepared, but I do not believe sitting outside with a dog by your side is going to have an effect on the hygiene of the establishment.