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WEBVTT LIKELY SEEN THE POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OR HEARD ABOUT THIS STORY FROM ONE OF YOUR DOG-LOVING FRIENDS. TALITHA: JOYMONGERS IS NO LONGER ALLOWING PUPS INSIDE ITS TAPROOM IN GREENSBORO AFTER THEY RECEIVED A WARNING FROM THE GUILFORD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. OUR KIRSTEN GUTIERREZ JOINS US LIVE OUTSIDE OF JOYMONGERS WITH REACTION FROM BOTH SIDES. KIRSTEN: SOMEONE SENT THE GUILFORD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT PICTURES OF DOGS INSIDE JOYMONGERRS, WHICH LED TO THAT WARNING YESTERDAY. THAT HAS BANNED DOGS FROM INSIDE THE BREWERY AND WHILE SOME ARE HAPPY, OTHERS SAY THEY WANT THE BAN LIFTED. FOR DOG LOVERS ACROSS GREENSBORO, THE NEWS OF JOY MONGERS NOT ALLOWING FURRY FAMILY MEMBERS INSIDE SPREAD QUICKLY. >> I HAD SEVERAL TEXT MESSAGES ABOUT IT. IT HAS BEEN THE PLACE FOR US FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS TO GO. SKIERSTEN: SARAH VISITS WITH HER DOG MILO. >> AS CRAZY AS IT SOUNDS, HE HAS HAD THREE OF HIS BIRTHDAY PARTIES THERE. KIERSTEN: NOW MILO WASN’T ALLOWED INSIDE UNDER RESTAURANT REGULATIONS. >> BY DEFINITION, DRINK IS A FOOD, SO THEY HOLD A FOOD PERMIT. IT’S A LIMITED DRINK STAND. SO THEREIN, THE LAW DOES REQUIRE THE DOGS CANNOT BE INSIDE OF A FOOD-SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT. KIRSTEN: THE ONLY EXCEPTION? SERVICE DOGS. A REPRESENTATIVE IS WORKING ON A BILL TO CHANGE STATE LAW TO CLARIFY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TAPROOM UNDER RESTAURANT AND HOPEFULLY ALLOW DOGS BACK END, A MOVE THE GREENSBORO MAYOR AND COUNTY HEALTH DIRECTOR SUPPORT. >> WE ACTUALLY APPROACHED THE BREWERY INDUSTRY AND ASKED THEM TO DO THE SAME THING. WE WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO PURSUE THAT DIRECTION. KIRSTEN: IN THE MEANTIME, SHE WILL KEEP HER PUP AT HOME BUT HOPE THINGS -- BUT HOPES THINGS CHANGE. >> I WANT TO KEEP HAVING HIS- BIRTHDAYS THERE.P HAVING HIS- SO I HOPE THIS WORKS OUT.

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It is a story that is sweeping social media, Joymongers is no longer allowing dogs inside its taproom in Greensboro.Officials with the brewery made the announcement Thursday on Facebook, writing they are disappointed, but the Guilford County Health Department served them a written warning citing a state law violation. Because the taproom does not have its own category in the state health code, it falls under restaurant regulations, which means drinks are considered food, making it a violation to have dogs inside.“By definition, drink is a food. So, they do hold a food permit, it’s limited to a drink stand. So therein, the law does require that dogs cannot be inside of a food service establishment,” Guilford County Environmental Health Director, David Foust said.For dog-lovers, the news about Joymongers quickly spread.“I found out through social media when they posted on Facebook then right after that it was in our group chat, I had several texts about it because it has been the place for us for the past few years to go,” a regular at Joymongers, Sara Kinlaw, said.Kinlaw visits Joymongers often with her pup, Miloh.“I was definitely upset, and as crazy as it sounds, he’s had three of his birthday parties there. A couple our friends do dog parties and even just meet up. It was definitely upsetting because he loves going there,” Kinlaw said. “I just think that it makes the atmosphere so much better and so many people love to have their dogs with them, it just makes it something that you can do with your dogs on the weekends.”The only exception to the rule is service dogs.“It’s a food service rule that requires all dogs have to be outside on the patio, that you cannot have dogs unless they’re service animals,” Foust said.Rep. Jon Hardister is working on a bill to change the state law, and he sent WXII the following statement: "This is a situation the state needs to resolve. We need to make clear that there is a difference between a restaurant and a taproom. If food is not prepared in a taproom, then the business should decide whether or not pets are allowed. I am currently working to draft legislation that would make this clarification."Hardister said he hopes to have the bill ready and introduce it by next week. The soon-to-be bill is something Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughn and Foust support.“We’ve actually approached the brewery industry and asked them to do the same thing, we would like for them to pursue that direction,” Foust said.“I definitely hope that they can have that as a separate category, since Joymongers doesn’t have a kitchen in it. I think that it would make business keep growing even more. So, a lot of people have always view that place as a place where they can take their dogs because it was one of the first in Greensboro,” Kinlaw said.In the meantime, Kinlaw will keep Miloh at home but hopes things change soon.“I want to keep having all of his birthdays there, so I really hope this works out,” Kinlaw said.WXII reached out to Joymongers officials for comment, but they declined.