Dogs may be allowed to dine out

ST. LOUIS, June 8 (UPI) -- A bill that would allow restaurant goers to eat with their dogs has run into a snag at City Hall in St. Louis, Mo., with some worried about health risks.

Some of the city's aldermen expressed concern about health risks, but several others said they just did not think dogs should be allowed in dining areas, the St. Louis Dispatch reported Friday.

Alderman Lyda Krewson proposed the bill that would allow diners to eat with their dogs outside a restaurant.

Current food regulations prohibit live animals from being on the premises of an eating establishment, including outside patios and sidewalk cafes.

Krewson's proposal was not met well at the Board of Aldermen's Public Safety Committee, but she said she would bring a revised version back to the committee next week.

One possible amendment to the bill would be to allow restaurants to decide for themselves whether dogs were allowed or not.