Amy and I and three of my daughters — Courtlynn, Braunwynn and Jaucelynn —  begin our journey to the International Association of Food Protection annual meeting in Orlando tomorrow, and we’d take our dogs and have a meal on a patio in Sarasota, but there just isn’t room in the truck.

The Sarasota City Commission, in an unanimous vote Monday, agreed that dogs should be allowed to accompany their owners in the outdoor dining areas of restaurants which have obtained the required doggy dining permit. The ordinance only pertains to outdoor dining and only to restaurants which opt into the program by obtaining the permit. The Sarasota County Health Department will enforce the doggy dining ordinance and permits are available from the Sarasota County Health Department for $150.

As we’ve written before, it’s a good idea, but only at the discretion of restaurant staff and only if staff and owners follow the Florida protocol, which includes:

• food service employees must not touch, pet or handle dogs while serving food or beverages;

• food service employees must wash their hands promptly after touching, petting or handling dogs;

• patrons must be advised to wash their hands before eating and the restaurant must provide waterless hand sanitizer at each table;

• dogs must not come into contact with serving dishes, utensils and tableware or other items involved in food service (this is the only applicable law in France);

• dogs will not be allowed on chairs, tables or other furnishings;

• accidents involving dog waste must be cleaned immediately and the area must be sanitized;

• cats and other pets are not covered by the law; and,

• local governments can issue a fee to the restaurants for  permit.