It appears some people are barking up the wrong tree when it comes to dogs, pubs and restaurants in Yarra. For the record, we dig dogs in Yarra and have no intention of putting them in the dog house.

To ensure dogs remain everyone’s best friend in Yarra, we sent a friendly reminder to restaurant owners about dogs and food safety. Council's aim is to educate businesses on how to comply with these laws so they can avoid penalties. This is standard practice for councils across Victoria.

Rest assured your four-legged friend can still join you for a quiet drink in a local beer garden as long as the venue meets the requirements of the law. 

To clarify, under State laws (Victoria’s Food Act 1984), dogs are not permitted in any area of a premises where food is handled, including where food is served such as a dining area.

The only exception to this is that pet dogs may be permitted in an outside dining area that:

• is not enclosed (permanently or temporarily) and can be entered by the public without passing through an enclosed area of the premises
• is not used for the preparation of food

Of course, certified assistance animals are permitted in any area of the premises, inside or outside, that customers can enter.