Since Coffee by Design, the small chain of Portland coffeehouses, opened in 1994 it has welcomed customers and their dogs alike. After an anonymous customer complaint the chain, which will be celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, will have to abandon the time-honored pet friendly policy.
According to the complainant, a customer’s dog urinated on the floor of the Congress Street store on April 12. Michael Nugent, manager of the Inspection Service Program for Portland, said that the law forbids pets in restaurants so there is little recourse for dog owners who like to bring their pets into the store.
“Under the state law, there’s not much we can do for them,” he said. “There’s some specific exemptions for animals in the store.” The city code, state code and FDA regulations all allow patrol dogs, dogs for people with handicaps and live fish for consumption and decoration. Other than these exemptions, Nugent said “you’re simply not allowed to have animals in restaurants.” Portland’s law is in chapter 11, section 33a of the city’s food ordinance.
Associate Professor of Theater Assunta Kent said she was disappointed that she could no longer take her golden retriever, Antonia, to get coffee.
“It’s very discouraging. I used to go there every day. It was nice to see the dogs, to see my students,” said Kent. “How much can the barristers police customers with their dogs?” According to Kent, Antonia has friends who were delighted to see her in the coffee shop every day, who found a sort of therapeutic contact by petting her dog and the other dogs that would visit.
Trisha Blanchet’s 2003 Dog-Friendly New England: A Traveler’s Companion lists all three locations as being pet-friendly. Mary Allen, one of the owners of Coffee By Design, could not be contacted by press time. Carson Lynch, an employee at the Monument Square location, summed up the company’s stance. “We love your dogs – food code does not.”