Although there are more dogs than ever in Quebec homes, it is still difficult, if not impossible, to take your dog with you when you want to have a bite to eat. Obstacles remain numerous for dog cafes, tucked-away establishments that have chosen to open their doors to man’s best friend, noted The duty.
Café Lewis, in Victoriaville, is named in honor of the dog of co-owner Vincent Métivier, who opened the business two years ago with his sister Audrey. The friendly face of a bulldog is also found on the company logo and is available on a range of accessories sold on site.
However, no chance of meeting Lewis or other furry animals inside the establishment, rue Notre-Dame, the main commercial artery of Victoriaville.
The café’s management gave up receiving its customers’ canine companions last month, after being the subject of a complaint addressed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec (MAPAQ).
During a subsequent visit, an inspector indicated that the place “was placed under surveillance and risked a fine of $1,000 if a dog was on site,” explains Vincent Métivier.
The reason given? Even though they did not have access to it, the animals were in the same room as the counter where the products are prepared. grilled cheese, sandwiches, salads and soups offered by this “third wave” café.
“For this to pass with MAPAQ, there should be no complex preparation of food on site, and the sandwiches should be assembled in another room,” maintains Vincent Métivier. This poses a problem for the quality and freshness of our products. “Unwrapping a prepared sandwich is not the same as making a sandwich on site. »
If there are no specific regulations against dog cafes, the regulation (P-29) on food stipulates that animals are prohibited in all places where the catering activity is carried out.
MAPAQ claims to tolerate the presence of animals in “animal cafes”, “since consumers who frequent these places are aware that the vocation of these establishments implies the presence of animals in the food service areas”, indicated Yohan Dallaire Boily, spokesperson.
This type of establishment must, however, put in place a series of measures to reduce the risks of food contamination, in particular “reasonable measures so that animals cannot access food made available to the public”.
However, the configuration of the premises had not posed a problem during two previous routine visits by MAPAQ inspectors, underlines Vincent Métivier.
“Throughout the entire process of obtaining our restaurant permit, we were always clear about our intention for it to be a café dog-friendly. It’s part of our values and our mission. »
MAPAQ preferred not to comment on the Café Lewis case, but confirmed that the file was known to its inspection service and “that interventions under the Food Act and regulations have taken place and are still in progress. course “.
Short life expectancy
Camille Boulanger, creator of the blog We are going for a walk ?, has been listing “dog-friendly” places in Quebec and neighboring provinces since 2017. She estimates that around 25 dog cafes have opened their doors in Quebec over the past seven years, but that only “2 or 3” are still in operation.
“It comes and goes, often it doesn’t stay open for long, but there are still some that see the light of day on a regular basis. »
Café Emma, also in Victoriaville, also gave up its vocation as a dog café in the last year. In his case, it was the high bill for his civil liability insurance plan, which went from $6,000 to $10,000, that tipped the scales.
“We must be insured in the event of an incident, for example if a dog bites a customer. [Avec la hausse des coûts], it was simply no longer accessible for us. We decided to remove the coffee component,” summarizes Julie Gosselin, who founded the place with her partner in September 2020, in the middle of a pandemic.
Café Emma has instead become a day center for dogs, a dog daycare, where owners can leave their pet for half a day to play. Customers can still have coffee there, but they must serve it themselves.
For the love of dogs
The recipe for success has yet to be found for dog cafes. Café Arthur, in Laval, is trying to get there, despite the obstacles that are piling up.
Established since 2019 in a completely renovated old garage, the restaurant rolled out the red carpet to welcome canine customers.
Heated floors ensure that guests’ pads are kept dry, while a double door system prevents Fido and company from running off. Water bowls are constantly available for the animals, and the terrace is designed in such a way that even a tiny chihuahua cannot escape.
Operating a dog café comes with significant expenses, recalls Sébastien Bourget, who founded the place with his partner, Maria Bermudez.
“Just in paper, poop bags and disinfectant, it must cost us $300 to $350 per month,” he estimates.
Added to this is the price of small treats offered to four-legged visitors and the costs of setting up the place in a safe manner that complies with MAPAQ standards. Not to mention the COVID loans to repay, the workforce to find and the galloping inflation which is afflicting the food sector.
Café Arthur, which offers a mix of Mexican cuisine and Quebec classics, is also a victim of its concept.
“Many people think that if they don’t have a dog, they can’t come, but that’s not the case,” explains Sébastien Bourget. Due to lack of sufficient traffic, the restaurant is only open three days a week, from Friday to Sunday.
Nearly five years after its opening, the business is still struggling to be profitable.
“It’s always a tug of war between people’s safety, dog safety, compliance with MAPAQ rules and money. It creates a lot of headaches for me. »
Despite everything, Sébastien and Maria are not ready to throw in the towel.
“We both believe in the potential of the company. We never did this for money, we knew we wouldn’t get rich with that. We did it because we love dogs. »