My initial response on this thread was directed toward bringing dogs to crowded venues, which I believe was the subject of the OP. How this thread got to be an attack on dogs being in any public place is beyond me. It almost seems some on here would prefer to ban all dogs in all public places, confining them to only their own homes and yards.
Not every pet owner is an irresponsible pet owner. My initial concern was of safety at crowded venues - for both people and animals. But as one poster rightly put it - it's all about respect. If your dog can be contained in one's lap, or stroller, or whatever, I don't understand why being in a crowded venue is an issue. I would have a concern about a leashed dog though, which especially when lying down may be overlooked and could end up to be a tripping hazard. I say this because I have witnessed this happening before. People in public places are not always apt to look down when they are moving around. If the venue is not a crowded one it may not be as much of a problem.
Just my 2 cents.....and what I thought the OP was trying to address - crowded events, not dogs in public in general.