Going to the Dogs in Nevada

“Some dogs cannot hold their licker,” goes the old joke.

All kidding aside, Nevada State Senator John Settelmeyer has introduced a bill allowing individual bar owners admit dogs into their establishment if they’d like too. At present, Nevada laws forbid dogs in bars or restaurants unless they’re service dogs.

“Fundamentally,” said Settelmeyer, “…it comes down to a matter of property rights to an individual business…”

Settelmeyer introduced SB 105 at the request of Karen Woodmansee, editor of the Virginia City News in Storey County. The bill may seem trivial at first, but on second look, it’s anything but.

The bill is about letting bar owners decide what’s best for their businesses and not on what the government dictates. Nevada health department officials plan to oppose the bill, saying dog hair and bodily fluids might cross-contaminate food or drink, unruly dogs could bite patrons, and employees would have to be trained on how to safely interact with the dogs.