Bylaw to ease during national dog show

what a dog is going to do.’’

Thomas & Sons Eatery waitress Lottie Savage said lifting the dog ban probably wouldn’t affect business.

‘‘I think it is probably a good idea, because Taylor River is so close,’’ Savage said. ‘‘It might be nice to have people who are out and about already just popping into town, if they are just getting a coffee or doing a wee job on a Saturday morning.’’

A dog-friendly town centre could even reduce cars in the area, bringing more foot traffic to local businesses.

Little Cafe on Charles owner Sharon Evans said her business welcomed furry friends, even when they turned up illegally from time to time.

‘‘We don’t mind at all, we love dogs,’’ Evans said.

‘‘And the people that do bring dogs have well-trained dogs.

‘‘They don’t hurt anybody, they just sit there,’’ Evans said.

Former mayor Liz Davidson was a staunch supporter of lifting the dog ban. In fact, she remembers campaigning with her king charles cavalier spaniel Rufus outside the council building, protesting dog laws imposed in the late 1990s.

She had ‘‘a whole succession of dogs over many years’’ and used to walk her rottweiler Kaiser – ‘‘a real character of a dog’’ – through town in the early 1990s.

‘‘Sometimes I’d sneak them through town. You could work out your route so you just weren’t quite in the central area.’’

Davidson said she was excited about a dog-friendly October in the town centre.

‘‘Provided they pick up their poo, I don’t see anything wrong with it myself,’’ Davidson said.

‘‘It will give dog owners the opportunity to see if their dogs are well-behaved or not.’’