Downtown’s dog-friendly coffee shop can no longer allow dogs, says county health dept.

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/go/downtown-s-dog-friendly-coffee-shop-can-no-longer-allow/article_35e9627a-e679-11e3-af10-0017a43b2370.html

POSTED: WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2014 10:03 AM
By Micah Mertes / World-Herald staff writer

Howlin’ Hounds Coffee, at 712 S. 16th St., received notice this month from the Douglas County Health Department that it can no longer allow dogs inside the building.

This proves problematic, of course, for a business that touts its dog-friendliness right in its name. Greg Sechser opened Howlin’ Hounds in his family’s building, formerly a bar, about two years ago. The shop was his effort to recreate the fur-friendly establishments he’d found in bigger cities.

Banishing dogs from businesses such as his, Sechser said, is setting Omaha back.

The health department’s mandate that Howlin’ Hounds keep out the dogs comes from a rule in the 2009 Food Code established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. With a few exceptions –– service dogs, decorative fish –– the code prohibits live animals from food establishments. (You can read the full Food Code here. The rule regarding animals is 6-501.115).

FULL story at link.

[woodsprite]

1. OK, I can see "service dogs" being in there, but what the heck is a "decorative fish"? n/t

[FSogol]

2. Tropical Fish in a fish tank. Like in many chinese restaurants. n/t

[woodsprite]

3. Oh, OK. I was imagining someone carrying around a betta in a bowl or something like that. n/t

[FSogol]

5. Sorry, this is my service trout.

[Marrah_G]

11. Fish tanks used as decoration

[The Straight Story]

4. That's good. Someone working there might be allergic to dogs (nt)

[bluedigger]

7. Find a job somewhere else.

The business caters to dog owners. No different than a pet store, veterinary clinic, dog boarder, etc...

[snooper2]

8. Next time I go to Petco I'm looking for the blueberry danish isle

LOL

[The Straight Story]

9. Guess the same applies to bars that cater to smokers then (nt)

[bluedigger]

10. If it's a cigar bar, yes.

Maybe we should close every business that sells chemicals. Some people have chemical sensitivities, and we wouldn't want to deny them employment opportunities, now would we?

[The Straight Story]

12. So a bar can start up and call itself a cigarette bar

And allow smoking? Why not just call itself a bar with a sign that says 'smokers welcome'.

I am all for allowing such choice. As I am with the dog place.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

6. If it's an FDA reg, then how do other establishments in 'bigger cities'

get around it?