Tarazet

Here's A Town I Won't Move To...

Gastonia, North Carolina doesn't want dogs visible in store windows. From the News-Observer:

The City Council passed a measure Tuesday that bans keeping any dog downtown "in any area that is visible from a publicly maintained sidewalk." Violators are subject to a $25 fine.

The ordinance comes about as the city tries to revitalize downtown. Merchants and property owners want to portray a positive image, which the big dogs in a shop window don't fit, said Councilman Jeff Horne.

The cause of the ordinance is that a downtown bail-bondsman had two dogs -- one blind -- in his shop that would greet customers and sun themselves in the window.

Frankly, I love businesses that have dogs or cats wondering around. It lets me know the proprietors are friendly people. If the Gastonia overlords don't think store pets fit the image of their shopping district, well, I think people should boycott that downtown. What a stupid ordinance.

Posted by Jeff Soyer at May 7, 2004 06:42 AM