Dining Out with Your Dog?

By Andrea Kunicky

How would you feel about having your furry little friend accompany you to lunch or dinner outside on a restaurant’s patio?

Well, many in the area now are attempting for a bill to go before the General Assembly that would free Maryland to join in with Florida, California and Minnesota in allowing dining outside with your dog.

Delegate Dan K. Morhaim of Baltimore County is sponsoring the “Dining Out Growth Act of 2011.” He told the Baltimore Sun that the law would give a much-needed boost to the state’s restaurant industry, which has had a tough go of it in the recent economic downturn.

“Frankly, anything that develops economic activity right now is good,” Morhaim told the Sun. “Now when people are outside and walking their dogs, they’ll walk by a place where they’d like to stop and eat. But they won’t because they can’t.”

Many of the local restaurants in the area already welcome dogs, but hundreds more do not because of the state health code violations.

Tomorrow, the dining bill will be discussed at a hearing before the House of Delegates and the Government Operations Committee. According to the Sun, the proposal has the support of many Maryland restaurants, the Humane Society of the United States and the Maryland Health Department. If passed, the law would take effect in October.

So, what does everyone think about this hot button topic in the area? Personally, I am an avid dog lover and would be all for having our four legged friends out for a meal with their owner. But, in the end, the owner should know if the dog is well behaved enough to sit for an hour or two to eat, and to be cognizant of the others around them. I couldn’t see myself enjoying dinner on a patio to only be disrupted by a barking dog throughout my meal.

This will be interesting to see where this bill goes and if we can get more restaurants in the area to approve of this act, because ultimately, it could help their establishments grow more and increase their awareness and exposure to others in the community.


Andrea Kunicky is an Account Executive at Maroon PR. Contact her at Andrea@MaroonPR.com

NY Post Crosses the Line

By Tim Richardson



Tim Richardson is Executive Vice President at Maroon PR. Contact him at Tim@MaroonPR.com

Greyhounds - Better than you Think!

By Carolyn Maroon

If anyone is considering getting a pet, I can’t recommend adoption enough. As a child growing up we didn't have pets and didn't understand other family’s connection to their pets. When I was dating my husband John, I didn’t understand how “over the top” they were with their dogs; immense love and affection they were given, the special foods prepared, etc.

When John and I married, I didn’t give in to his desire to get a dog. I had one objection after another, and instead bought him some tropical fish. For about 14 years I held strong in my resistance until one day, for some unknown reason, I gave in. There were strings attached however… no puppies and we must adopt one in need of a home.

On July 13, 2005 we adopted “Gabe” a retired greyhound and all I can say is “I get it now.” Gabe brought a lot of joy and love to ours lives during his short life with us. It is something you need to experience to understand. Of course, now John and I are partial to greyhounds and all the wonderful people we have met through the Greyhound Pets of America (GPA).

After Gabe died we were devastated and didn’t know if we could do it again. But we understood that so many loving dogs need homes and because of our love for Gabe we recently jumped back in.

Just a week ago we adopted “Connie” a greyhound from the GPA and she has been fitting in our home beautifully. Thanks to Gabe, another greyhound has found a home.

If you are thinking about a dog, I would absolutely recommend getting a greyhound for a number of reasons:

* People fear that they are hyper. This isn’t true…they are intelligent, kind, calm, clean and great with kids and other dogs

* Some folks believe they need a fenced-in yard to run. This is also not true…they have been called “the world’s fastest couch potatoes” and “the only dog that needs to be dusted.”

* Sometimes we hear that those that live in apartments don’t have the space for a Greyhound. While these dogs aren’t small (50-80 pounds) they do not need a large home to be happy.

Obviously, I have a little bias, but you have to understand that greyhound owners are a little crazy about, well, greyhounds. There are events across the country and greyhound picnics and gatherings. We are now a part of that “cult.”

If you’re getting a dog or cat by all means adopt as there are so many that need loving homes. Please do consider the beautiful greyhounds as tracks are closing across the country and the need for homes is greater now than ever. To learn more visit http://www.gpa-md.com/.

Carolyn Maroon is Maroon PR's Office Manager. Contact her at carolyn@maroonpr.com