Dogs may soon be safe to return to city pubs with a proposal before parliament to protect an old part of Sydney pub culture that has recently been overturned by council rangers and health and safety laws.
Over the past year, there have been several reports of council officials fining drinkers up to $600 for having dogs in pubs, leading many publicans to reluctantly introduce bans.
Council rangers cite laws that prohibit dogs being within 10 metres of food consumption. But beer, in the eyes of state law at least, is a food too, meaning owners (and publicans) can be fined for a dog being in the front drinking room of a public bar.
Following council inspections and threatened fines to publicans too a number of Balmain's famously dog friendly pubs such as the The London and Dry Dock have been forced to stop allowing dogs after welcoming them for the past 30 years.
"Council rangers say 'it's the law': there's nothing you can do if someone complains," says local Greens member Jamie Parker who is introducing a private member's bill to the lower house that would expressly allow dogs.
Though the law has been on NSW statute books for decades the bans have only begun to emerge in the past year.
Mr Parker says dogs are one of the key charms of Sydney pub culture and whether they should be allowed should be determined by pub owners, not the law.
"Dog owners in many European countries are free to take their pets inside shops, cafes, restaurants and on to public transport," he said. "Australia is regarded as one of the strictest nations when it comes to [dogs]".
The state government has signalled it is open to considering Mr Parker's amendments.
Peter Philip, the owner of the Wayward Brewing Co in Camperdown agrees that dogs are a fundamental part of Sydney's drinking culture.
Mr Philip has cats but when he mortgaged his house to follow his brewery dream four years ago he wanted a space that reflected his local community and that included their pets.
The first sign he put up in his tasting room read: "Well behaved dogs welcomed; well behaved children tolerated."
"We said: we're going to be a dog friendly place; I just love the inclusive atmosphere," he said. "We get a lot families [in] and they always bring their dogs."
Greyhounds, Bulldogs and Jack Russells accompany his most loyal customers and their photos are collected on a wall in their honour.
Mr Parker's bill has been placed on notice in parliament's lower this month; a date for its introduction for a second reading speech and vote is yet to be determined but expected in coming months.
Meanwhile, one of the councils most active in policing the ban, the newly merged Inner West Council, last month went from being under the control of a state government administrator to elected councillors.
New Mayor Darcy Byrne said the ban had angered local residents, more than 100 of whom asked about his policy on dogs in pubs before voting in September's council elections.
"I'm very confident this nanny state ban will have to go," he said.
Next Tuesday the council will vote on a proposal to review the way it responds to complaints from residents and allowing dogs inside.
The state government said it had yet to fully consider Mr Parker's bill but signalled it was open to change.
"The NSW government wants to make the state more pet friendly where it is safe and appropriate to do so," said a spokesman for the Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton.
