Des Moines Register
03-29-06
Leave the barking to the dogs
FRANK VINLUAN
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Holleen Lawrence 's proposed cafe promises all of the fare typical of
contemporary coffee shops: baked goods, deli items, panini and, of course, java.
But the shop won't stock doggie bags. At Buddy and Rosie's Bark and Brew,
customers won't take food home to their dogs. They'll bring their dogs with them
to the cafe.
The European custom of carrying dogs into bistros inspired Lawrence to plan a
local equivalent. But the Des Moines businesswoman's pet project faces a big
hurdle: Iowa law prohibits animals in restaurants. But Lawrence, who already
runs a Des Moines cafe, has drawn up strict policies to follow state health
guidelines. Now, she's trying to persuade the state to grant her business model
an exception to the law.
"Right now, you have wonderful places to take your pets, you have wonderful
places to go yourself, but there isn't a place where you can go with your pet to
combine all of those resources together," Lawrence said.
Lawrence is co-owner of the Break Room Cyber Cafe , a Merle Hay Road coffee
shop that has been in business for three years. Lawrence says her cafe always
welcomes service animals such as guide dogs for the blind. But it dawned on her
that other dog owners need a place of their own.
Last summer, Lawrence drew up plans for her new cafe, named for her dog and
her daughter's dog. Then she applied to the Iowa Department of Inspections &
Appeals in August seeking an exception to the state law barring animals from
restaurants.
The department denied Lawrence's request. So she appealed to the
department's director. She was denied again. She appealed again. An
administrative law judge will hear that appeal on April 5.
Department spokesman David Werning said officials are concerned about waste
matter and potential allergies from the dogs.
"We cannot grant a waiver if the public health, safety or welfare is believed to be
jeopardized," he said. "Even if we could, I'm not sure that we would because the
code specifically says 'no pets.' "
Lawrence doesn't know yet where she would put the Bark and Brew. She's
looking for three acres in the city to set up shop. At least half of that land would
form a dog roaming area Lawrence calls the "Bark Park."
Lawrence realizes coffee isn't the only spill she'll have to mop. Her policies state
that pet accidents will be cleaned up immediately by an "elimination accident
team." The food preparation area will be separate from the dining area. Also,
food and drinks will be available only at the counter; there will be no table
service.
Just as people must register their dogs before using city dog parks, dogs
entering the Bark and Brew would have to first register with the cafe, Lawrence
said. Veterinary records of their shots must be on file.
Lawrence had those policies reviewed by Dr. Leonard Mermel , medical director
of the Department of Epidemiology and Infection Control at Rhode Island
Hospital and a professor at Brown University's medical school. If the cafe follows
the policies, Mermel believes "there will be no obvious risk of transmissible
illness spread from animal to human," he said in an e-mail message.
Sam Beattie, an Iowa State University professor of food science and
nutrition, reviewed the same plans at the request of the Register and reached a
different conclusion. The belief that dogs have cleaner mouths than humans is an
urban myth, Beattie said. Dogs can carry bacteria and parasites transmissible to
humans and dogs with the lick of a tabletop or chair.
Beattie acknowledged that some European countries allow dogs in restaurants.
But other countries also have different food standards. France, for example,
allows the sale of raw milk and soft cheeses even though they can make people
sick, he said.
Some local dog owners are open to the idea of a dog-friendly cafe. Deb Watson,
53, said people uncomfortable with dogs in a restaurant could just choose to go
elsewhere. The Des Moines woman owns four Pomeranians and she realizes
some dog owners let their pets become unruly. But she likened that to the
permissiveness of some parents.
"That's no different than the people who let their kids run all over a restaurant
while waiters are carrying trays of hot food," Watson said.
Beattie, owner of a 70-pound Akita, questioned whether all dogs would would
behave in an enclosed area with other dogs, no matter calm they are at home.
"If I took (my) dog into a food-service operation where there was a 20-pound
Pomeranian next to it, my dog would be attempting to eat that Pomeranian," he
said.
If the state allows Lawrence to proceed, she said she has local investors willing
to support her venture.
The Department of Inspections & Appeals knows of no precedent for such a
business. Although food service occurs near animals during the Iowa State Fair
and dog shows, Werning, the department spokesman, said they occur with
temporary permits for concessionaires. The department can't allow a year-round
business to operate with regular animal traffic unless the law changes.
Lawrence said she doesn't want to change Iowa laws for all restaurants; she only
wants a variance allowing dogs in hers. But Lawrence said she might bark at a
few Iowa lawmakers if her latest appeal fails.
"Dogs get along well," Lawrence said. "It's the people that mess things up."