Having an area for those who have dogs makes sense. That way anyone who wants to keep away from them can do so. Dogs should be kept on a lead in public places anyway so stray sniffers shouldn't occur. We choose where we take our dog carefully because if we intend to go to events its not fair to leave Lottie for too long on her own. We use a dog crate when travelling which she also sleeps in at home so she's happy to be there. We tend to only take her to more informal gatherings where we can spend time with her.