No more morning cappuccinos with pooch on Peet’s patio

September 23, 2011 4:00 pm by Tracey Taylor

A dog looks on forlornly as a "no animals allowed" sign is erected outside Peet's on Fourth Street on Friday September 16. Photo: Nancy Rubin

Berkeleyside contributing photographer Nancy Rubin happened to be sitting outside Peet’s on Fourth Street the other day when she saw a sign being affixed to a garbage can that read: “By order of Health and Human Services: No animals are allowed on Peet’s patio area. City of Berkeley.”

The wording certainly suggests the city is cracking down on four-legged friends keeping the company of their latte-loving owners. However a quick call to Berkeley’s public information officer reveals this is not a City of Berkeley sign. The give-aways? No municipal code is quoted, no logo, it’s not even the name of the department — but, interestingly, they did use the “Berkeley font”.

The sign is in fact a replacement for a previous one and was put there by Fourth Street management. The sign’s message only pertains to the enclosed patio area directly outside of Peet’s eastern doors where food and drink are consumed.

We can’t help wondering if that forlorn looking dog in the photo knows what’s coming.

Note: This story was updated to make a correction regarding the City of Berkeley font. We stated that the sign did not use the font (in the orange strip), although in fact it does.

7 Comments

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  • Chrisjuricich

    This sign has been up since at least 2008 or so ( I worked there from 2008-2009) and was rarely enforced. Not sure if it is actually a health code issue or just the management of the fourth street propty managers just caving to people who don’t like dogs at their feet in the enclosed area.

    Plenty of folks with their dogs drink their drinks on the rest of the patio area and no one except dog haters, OCD clean freaks or asshats would bother to complain. What possible difference the inner enclosed area would make I don’t know.

    In any case, the dog in the picture is not in ‘violation’ given it’s location is outside the area in question.

  • Ann

    I’m not sure if pitbulls are giving dogs a bad name, or if there are too many businesses that fear lawsuits…..

  • Anonymous

    May I express my support for this ordinance, quietly? Vocal support is likely to get me branded as OCD or a dog hater or an asshat. My partner is severely allergic to dogs; over the years my consciousness has been raised on this issue. One should not have to risk a severe ashmatic reaction in order to purchase a cup of coffee, buy eyeglasses or get from point A to point B by train or plane. 

  • Mac4me

    Yes, you are an OCD dog hatting asshat.  How does your partner survive out of your own home if s/he is so allergic? There are dogs all over Berkeley…hopefully your neighbors don’t have dogs.

    As for Peet’s and the 4th Street management putting up this sign…what a waste of money.  

  • M.J.

    Pet animals aren’t allowed in cafes or restaurants. The small section of patio outside of Peet’s is considered part of the cafe. Don’t blame pit bulls for long standing health code; they have enough of a bad rap.

  • Berkeley resident

    I have a dog and take him where ever I can but I understand that some people don’t like dogs or are afraid of them.  I don’t see a need to force everyone to be a dog lover and keeping my dog outside of this small area is not a problem if it makes others more comfortable.  Just because you have a dog or a baby (I have both) doesn’t mean others have to love them or be inconvenienced. 

  • Akmonday

    I saw a dog bite the face of a 2 year old in that patio in front of Tacubaya several years ago, it was horrifying (the baby was ok but there was a LOT of blood and screaming). I think this ordinance is fine, as much as I like seeing people’s dogs.