Most state health laws prohibit dogs from restaurants, but New York may soon allow restaurant owners to admit canines into outdoor areas to be with their humans. And the possibility is making some people barking mad, sparking a canine cuisine vs. dog-free dining fight.

In summer, restaurants everywhere cram tiny tables onto sunny patios, creating in-demand outdoor spaces often separated from the sidewalk only by wobbly popup fences. And onto those fences American diners tie their dogs—inches away, on the sidewalk side, because that is officially not on the restaurant’s property. Those few inches can seem pretty arbitrary (except of course for the waiters who are navigating around the tiny tables trying not to spill drinks).

New York’s state legislature is currently