Salt Lake City brewery asks customers to keep pets off the patio in the heat

SALT LAKE CITY —  A brewery is turning people away who bring their dogs to their patio when it’s hot outside.

T.F. Brewing on 300 West allows customers to choose to sit where they can sit: inside the taproom or out on the spacious patio.

They also welcome dogs outside who are on leash. In the peak of summer, they tell their guests to keep their pets at home.

“We love having dogs here,” taproom manager Jack Johnson said. “It’s one of the best parts of our day is getting to go around and pet all the pooches on the patio. Unfortunately, in this weather, especially making record-breaking highs day after day, we can’t allow it right now.”

A sign on the front door warns customers that dogs won’t be allowed on the patio because of the heat. According to their chart, anything 85 degrees or above could be dangerous.

“We have a lot of customers that are pretty grateful that we actually think about this proactively too,” Johnson said. “I get a surprising number of thanks from people on their way through the door who see the sign, and they’re like, ‘that’s cool, we appreciate that.’”

The brewery has had the policy in place for three years. Johnson pointed out the summers are getting warmer, and the hot sun can have dangerous effects on dogs. He said they made the responsible decision to keep pets at home for owners and post it up front, for the dogs’ sake.

“We don’t want to treat anybody different; we just don’t want anyone to suffer,” Johnson said.

Depending on the temperature, they allow dogs after 7 p.m. when it has cooled down.

“We always keep doggie bags and dog treats around, there’s plenty of water,” Johnson said. “Just to separate the beasts from the gravel we have these little cots. Get them up off the ground.”

He said they want to be proactive in keeping pets safe.

“Sometimes people may get a little too relaxed and not be able to pay attention to what’s going on with their dog,” Johnson said.

He pointed out their patio is made up of concrete and gravel, and it can get way too hot for a dog.

“How many times are you out somewhere and you see a dog that’s in an uncomfortable situation and it’s cringe-worthy,?” he said. “Should you say something? Maybe.”

Johnson said they haven’t had an episode where a dog suffered from heat exhaustion, sensiti

vity or stroke, and they have the policy in place to prevent that from happening.

“Their breath might start getting quicker and they’re getting too hot and just panting and the owners have not caught on,” Johnson said. “They just think it’s a hot dog being hot, but it can be tricky to see when they really start to turn the corner to way too hot.”

They don’t want anyone who walks through their doors to be uncomfortable or risk their health.

“If humans are having a hard time coming to work and being outside on the patio for hours and hours, then there’s no chance we’re going to leave a dog to hang out there,” Johnson said. 

Johnson said T.F. Brewing hopes to allow dogs to come to their patio at all hours of operation by the end of August, but they will make a decision based on conditions.

Related: Hot weather hazards: protecting pets from the heat