Updated 4.15pm

Source: @bananawalsh on Instagram

DUBLIN PUB MVP has been told it’s no longer allowed to throw its doors open to welcome dogs.

The Clanbrassil Street bar, which is operated by Bodytonic, has become known for its dog friendly policy, but a recent visit from the HSE (as reported by Lovin Dublin) means that four legged friends will no longer be allowed.

Bodytonic’s Trev O’Shea told DailyEdge.ie that the practice of welcoming dogs onto the premises happened quite by accident, and they never set out to be known for being pet friendly.

When we were doing up the bar and some local people would be walking by they asked if they could bring their dog in with them, and we didn’t see a problem with it.

A couple of websites and blogs started calling us “dog friendly” and it was no skin off our nose.

O’Shea said that he’s not sure why the HSE has now said that allowing pets on the premises is forbidden, positing that maybe it’s been a “grey area” until now and the HSE is now cracking down on it.

The Food Safety Authority states explicitly on its website that dogs and cats are “generally not permitted in any food premises” (with the exception of guide, assistance and companion dogs). It also states that dog-friendly or cat-friendly premises that serve food are not allowed. A HSE spokesperson told DailyEdge.ie that this issue comes under their remit, suggesting that an environmental health officer in the Dublin 8 area may have enforced the code at MVP.

MVP serves food in the form of Spudbox; a variety of baked potato options served informally in cardboard boxes.

O’Shea said that if it’s an issue of serving food “I can’t think of a pub in Dublin that doesn’t serve food of some sort, even if it’s just a bag of crisps”.

I suppose in the back of my head this day was always coming. Welcoming dogs has become a big part of what we do. It’ll definitely have an impact. But at the end of the day rules are rules.

O’Shea also acknowledged that dogs aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but that it had never been an issue in the pub.

A spokesperson for the Food Safety Authority reiterated national food hygiene legislation that “pet dogs and cats are not permitted in any food premises”. The spokesperson also clarified to DailyEdge.ie that “a pub not serving food is classed as a food premises, as drinks are food, so therefore this legislation applies to them too”.

An HSE spokesperson told DailyEdge that the organisation “does not have any concerted action underway locally or nationally in relation to dogs in food premises”.