Legislative fix ends brewery dog banishment
According to Aaron and Jenni Share, co-owners of To Share Brewing on Union Street, there was only one instance of that law being enforced anywhere in the State of New Hampshire and it was against their dog, Blue.
MANCHESTER, NH – Patrons of To Share Brewing may have missed their warm canine welcome for the last few months, but it looks like they will not have to miss it for much longer.
On Thursday, the New Hampshire Senate adopted an ought-to-pass recommendation on HB 249, a bill that updates the pet insurance industry and also allows restaurant owners to have their pets inside their business place, with the exception of food preparation areas, following an amendment in late February.
The bill became necessary after 2022 legislation that allowed companion dogs in outdoor dining areas of restaurants. That bill prohibited all dogs, except for service dogs, from going inside a restaurant, inadvertently making no distinction from companion dogs owned by customers and companion dogs owned by restaurant owners, repealing an existing law that allowed restaurant owners to have their dogs inside non-food preparation areas of restaurants.
According to Aaron and Jenni Share, co-owners of To Share Brewing on Union Street, there was only one instance of that law being enforced anywhere in the State of New Hampshire and it was against their dog, Blue.
An anonymous complaint to the Manchester Health Department led to the expulsion of Blue, with the understanding that her presence inside the building would violate the new law. The Shares checked with the Office of Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, which then confirmed with the Health Department that no other municipality had acted upon the law up to that point.
They also checked with several other restaurants and found nowhere else that had come in conflict with this law.
The Shares reached out to State Representative Matt Wilhelm (D-Manchester) to help address the issue.
Wilhelm, who is one of the Shares’ representatives in Concord, was pleased with Thursday’s news as well as efforts in the House to fix the matter.
Dogs bring companionship and joy to families throughout New Hampshire, including small business owners, and I appreciate the bipartisan effort in the House Commerce Committee to quickly correct this oversight and restore the law allowing owners’ dogs at their place of business,” said Wilhelm.
State Senator Bill Gannon (R-Sandown) was also pleased with the passage of the law.
“As a pet lover myself, I understand the deep bond between owners and beloved animals,” said Gannon. “By introducing HB 249, we are not only promoting the responsible pet insurance industry but also acknowledging the importance of allowing pets in public spaces, especially restaurants. This bill will provide clear guidelines for the pet insurance market and give restaurant owners the confidence to welcome dogs, enhancing the overall experience for pet owners and attracting more customers to these establishments.”
The language of the bill reads: A restaurant owner may allow his or her properly disciplined companion dog inside his or her place of business. Such dogs shall not be allowed in food preparation or production areas. A restaurant owner allowing his or her companion dog shall prominently display a sign at all public entrances advising patrons that his or her companion dog is allowed on the premises and that such dog shall be removed from any portion of the premises where members of the public are present in the event a patron with a service animal is present.
While the Shares were frustrated with what seemed like the unequal enforcement of this law, they are happy that Blue will be able to return in the near future.
“(The customers) are sad, right? Blue is one of the family here, she has been our glorified greeter for certain and I think everyone will be really excited to have her back,” said Jenni Share.
The bill now heads to Governor Sununu’s desk, with the revised law going into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, if he signs it.
