Have a great weekend VC.
Posted on 12/04/2009 2:59:35 AM PST by Daffynition
Cody, a chocolate Labrador, has for months greeted customers at the Clearwater BP gas station and convenience store at U.S. 19 and Nursery Road. A St. Petersburg Times story introduced thousands more to the jovial pup.
But Thursday morning, a state health inspector stopped by and issued a warning to Karim Mansour, the store's owner: Remove the dog or the Health Department would declare all of Mansour's food products — mostly bottled sodas, Slim Jims and candy bars — unfit for consumption.
Mansour, who adopted 6-year-old Cody three years ago, had no choice but sign the warning. His primary violation: "prohibited animals present in a food establishment."
Mansour said he will leave Cody at home by Friday, but will try to find a way for his companion to stay.
"There's no way one of my dog's hairs are going to get into a bag of Doritos," he said.
The state's move against Cody disappointed his customers.
"People in the store hearing what was going on kind of made a little protest," Mansour said.
Readers commenting on the original Times story had predicted the authorities might act.
"The Health Department will be all over this soon, watch," wrote one reader.
Another responded: "I don't think the Health Dept. is worried about a Dog in A Gas Station (The WORD IS GAS STATION), It's not like the dog is serving fresh salad."
Unfortunately for Mansour and Cody, the Health Department did show up — although it wasn't the first time.
Mansour said that in November, his usual health inspector stopped by and gave the dog a pass, as the store serves only prepackaged food.
But this time, the health inspector's supervisor accompanied him and laid down the law.
"It was a nice gimmick. I like dogs, too, but it's not up to me. You're not allowed to have the dog here," Mansour recalled the supervisor telling him.
According to the Food and Drug Administration's food code, live animals may be allowed in stores in certain situations, provided that food contamination cannot result.
One such circumstance: "In areas that are not used for food preparation, storage, sales, display or dining, in which there are caged animals or animals that are similarly confined."
Whether that means a dog is allowed to sit with cigarette cartons behind a convenience store counter is something Mansour said he plans to sort out.
Have a great weekend VC.
Back at ya.
Good idea.
Well said. France allows dogs most everywhere as well. Seems the prejudice is largely on this side of the ocean (except for Muslim countries, of course.)
OMG! That is her! I saw her in the meat dept! Very strange!
Ha!
Joey’s a good bird dog—the feathered creatures have learned to stay out of our backyard! He takes them out mid-flight....although his arthritis is starting to get the better of him (he’s 9 years old).
That has to be the cutest thing ... I mean, Cody's got on the BP polo and everything!
But Thursday morning, a state health inspector stopped by and issued a warning to Karim Mansour, the store's owner: Remove the dog or the Health Department would declare all of Mansour's food products — mostly bottled sodas, Slim Jims and candy bars — unfit for consumption.
Am I incorrect in my understanding that dogs are cleaner than human beings, that we carry more germs than they do, regardless we bathe and such? If a dog presents health troubles, when the food products are packaged for the most part, should not every clerk behind the counter be banned as well?
Hadn't even considered this -- I can't remember when I've been able to leave my house without dog hair on my slacks, in winter, my suede shoes. How about cat owners, they can't possibly keep that stuff off their clothing, even if they all carry those lint-remover rollers in their briefcases!
Exactly so. Cats, too. We regulate against things we are immune to, and ignore illegal aliens with hepatitis cooking or serving our food.
LOL, love it! So true!!
Typical bureaucrat, no common sense just follow the rules regardless of the impact the rules actually have on the given situation.
How else are they going to justify their existence?
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Good dog!
Speaking of playing fetch, my in-laws have a black lab named Cali who is 12 years old and shows little signs of slowing down...when younger, she would play fetch until she was about ready to drop dead.
Our labs refuse to play fetch—pretty much always have—unless it has wings and feathers, LOL.
I watched ‘Marley and Me’ last night and doggone it if I didn’t go and cry again at the end.
My parents lost their beloved Chihuahua Peanut a few months back at the ripe age of 17...they are making about a 4 hour drive this weekend to look at some 5 week old puppies for sale. If my 11 y.o. wasn’t 700 miles away from Indiana, she’d be going with her grandparents—she is the dog lover extraordinaire! She was brokenhearted when she found out Peanut had died.
You have Labs that won't fetch ... goat granny has one that won't get wet!
Dunno .... better check the warranty!
Actaully, punkin, we played fetch 594 times, you just got faked out because I didn't throw the ball for you to bring back.
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