Bar-goers upset about no-dog rules - UPI.com

NEW YORK, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- The New York City Health Department has been cracking down on animals in bars, much to the dismay of pet and bar owners.

Between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011, the health department issued 469 citations for having live animals in bars and restaurants, The New York Times reported.

The crackdown means Miles, a 9-year-old boxer-pug mix can no longer go into the Ace Bar.

"He's a dog, but I swear he looks sad," Mike Israely, 33, the dog's owner. "Coming here was part of our evening walk."

City health codes have always found dogs near beer taps a violation, but many bars have disregarded the rule; NYC has a long history of dog-friendly establishments. In the 19th century, saloons often employed dogs as security.

Many residents deem quality of an establishment by whether or not they allow dogs. Allowing dogs is a sign of a "a proper neighborhood bar," Christine Sismondo, the author of "America Walks Into a Bar."

"It proves you're not one of those corporate B.Y.O.F. bars: bring your own friends."