A Dog, A Restaurant, A Thunderstorm...

[Holly Moore]

Let's say a patron's dog was permitted into a Philadelphia restaurant's dining room for a half hour during the worst part of thunderstorm. What might be the Philadelphia Department of Health's response to such an incident?

For some reason I recently emailed a friend for a well-informed but unattributed and unofficial response to such a situation:

If there was an inspector there at the time (highly unlikely), they would have been required by regulation to send the dog out. After the fact, they can't write a violation on something they did not witness, so there would be no investigation.

[Holly Moore]

I have always had a positive feeling about the health department as they relate to Philadelphia restaurants.

My first encounter was when I had to have the plans for my kitchen approved before L&I would issue a building permit. The engineer I met with worked with my plan not only to improve sanitation, but to improve the overall flow. He offered very worthwhile recommendations that led to a much better kitchen design.

All during the time I had my restaurant and outside stands at the zoo and off Rittenhouse Square, while the Health Department did indeed enforce its regulations they did so positively and without the blatant adversity found in similar departments in some other major cities.

[prasantrin]

Let's say a patron's dog was permitted into a Philadelphia restaurant's dining room for a half hour during the worst part of thunderstorm. What might be the Philadelphia Department of Health's response to such an incident?

For some reason I recently emailed a friend for a well-informed but unattributed and unofficial response to such a situation:

If there was an inspector there at the time (highly unlikely), they would have been required by regulation to send the dog out. After the fact, they can't write a violation on something they did not witness, so there would be no investigation.

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So the restaurant would have been required to send the dog out, but would it have been fined as well?

[Holly Moore]

I don't think there would be a fine in any case - at worst a written violation. My read of the response to my question was that the inspector would simply suggest that the dog leave and not write it up as a violation. As long as the restaurant complied it would have ended there.

[prasantrin]

I don't think there would be a fine in any case - at worst a written violation.  My read of the response to my question was that the inspector would simply suggest that the dog leave and not write it up as a violation.  As long as the restaurant complied it would have ended there.

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I thought the "After the fact" part referred to if the incident were reported after the dog had already been in the restaurant and had already left (ex. reported by someone to the authorities the next day).