Tiny Wyoming town is in uproar after a seemingly inoffensive photo left residents bitterly divided – so which side are you on?

A debate is raging in a small Wyoming town after a photo surfaced of a dog sitting next to his owner at a table in a restaurant.

The photo, taken at Sapporo Japanese Steakhouse in Rock Springs, Wyoming, shows an elderly woman sitting at a table with her small dog.

Ellie Croft, a local woman, shared the photo and expressed her disgust that the restaurant staff allowed the animal inside.

Croft wrote in her post: “If you have already made the informed decision to take your dog to a restaurant.

“DO NOT let it sit on the couch where other people sit. Disgusting and thoughtless,” her post has now sparked a wider debate about animals in restaurants.

Croft’s image and caption have since sparked a heated debate over allowing animals in restaurants.

Some users urged her to be considerate, as she did not know the woman’s full circumstances, and wondered if it was possible that she was a service dog.

Others agreed with her article, saying that people should stop viewing dogs as people.

One commenter wrote: ‘If your arrogant ass is too pristine to sit in the same restaurant as a dog. You are the problem, not the dog.’

Another said: ‘They are probably better behaved than most of the kids here’, but someone added: ‘Agreed!!! Dogs belong at home.’

Another man added: ‘Everyone should think about this for a moment.’

“This is a food service establishment, not your own kitchen. Could this be a service dog? Yes, but it would be more responsible for this person to use a designated vest or tag to express that.

“People have allergies and unless you have a certified service dog, you have no right to bring a pet that could disturb others in public dining areas.”

Croft responded after receiving criticism for her original post, adding: ‘I am extremely allergic to dogs and they do not belong in anyone’s seat in a restaurant.

The news has since sparked a wider debate about animals in restaurants.

“It would have been fine if the dog had stayed on the ground. Have some common sense.”

Sapporo owner Jerry Zhang said Cowboy State Daily that for a number of reasons he takes a more soft-sided approach to the issue.

According to Zhang, he doesn’t want to keep a lonely or disabled person away from his dog, nor does he want to leave his dog in a hot car.

Zhang also told the outlet that the restaurant is thoroughly cleaned between guests anyway.

He said, ‘If the dog is good, don’t bark — I say OK. From my heart I feel sorry if I reject (them).

Sapporo owner Jerry Zhang, pictured here, told Cowboy State Daily that he leans more toward the soft side of the issue for a few reasons

“I always tell myself to put myself in other people’s shoes so I can feel what other people are feeling. That’s why (I allow well-behaved dogs).”

According to the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, all animals, except service dogs, are not allowed in restaurants

Under federal rules, employees may only ask a person whether a dog is needed to meet a disability and what task the dog will be required to perform.

The guidelines state that employees should not ask for documentation or proof that they can perform a service.