Frequently Asked Questions

Let Dogs In is a non-profit campaign to welcome well-behaved dogs into bars, taprooms and breweries that do not have a kitchen. It is run by The Roch Society. We are asking the provinces to update one outdated rule, and we have written a practical safety standard so they can say yes with confidence.

For each province to update one rule in their food-premises or public-health regulations, the rule that currently bans dogs from any licensed venue. We want companion dogs allowed in the indoor seating of venues that prepare no food on site: taprooms, brewery tasting rooms, wine bars, cideries and any bar or pub that pours drinks and nothing else. Not restaurants. Not anywhere food is made. The provinces that have already done this, like Ontario and Quebec, have had no incidents. We are asking the rest of the country to catch up with the evidence.

No. This is only about bars, taprooms, breweries, cideries and distillery tasting rooms that have no kitchen. The food-safety rules that keep dogs out were written for licensed premises that prepare food, to protect against contamination in working kitchen environments. Where no food is being made, those rules are being applied to the wrong kind of venue. Ontario recognised this and changed its rules in 2020. Quebec did the same in 2025. We are asking every other province to do what Ontario and Quebec have already proved is safe.

In parts of Canada, yes. Ontario changed its rules in 2020 to let operators welcome dogs on patios and in indoor areas where no food is prepared. Alberta dropped its approval requirement for dogs on patios in 2022. A Calgary taproom has welcomed dogs indoors safely for years. Quebec passed a law in 2025 letting restaurants and cafés welcome dogs on their terraces, after a push led by the industry itself. We want the rest of the country to catch up.

In a venue with no kitchen there is no food being prepared, so the contamination chain that food rules exist to break is not there. Drinks are poured into clean glassware. On top of that, our Dog Friendly Barcode keeps dogs on a short lead, on the floor, and well away from the bar.

The Dog Friendly Barcode requires a clearly marked dog-free zone in every participating venue, so anyone who prefers distance from dogs always has it. Taking part is always the venue's choice, and no venue is ever forced to welcome dogs.

It is the short, practical safety standard a venue follows before it displays the Let Dogs In mark. Vaccinated dogs only, on a short lead, on the floor, away from the bar, a dog-free zone for other guests, and immediate removal of any dog that shows aggression. It is written so any health inspector can read it and approve against it. See the full standard.

Honestly, a petition on its own has never changed a Canadian law. What it does is prove public demand, which gives the ministers who can change these rules the confidence and the cover to act. Your signature is part of the evidence we put in front of them, alongside the venues backing the campaign and the Dog Friendly Barcode.

Three things together, never names alone. First, we prove the demand with a large, public, province-by-province signature count that decision-makers cannot wave away. Second, we build a coalition of venues, the taprooms, breweries and no-kitchen bars who pledge to run the Dog Friendly Barcode from day one, so it is the industry asking, not just consumers. Third, we hand decision-makers a turn-key package: the white paper, the Dog Friendly Barcode, the signatures and the list of ready venues, so they can say yes with confidence and none of the risk. Then we win it province by province, starting where the law is already closest, like Ontario and Alberta.

Sign the petition and choose “a bar or venue owner” when you add your name. Tell us your venue and, if you are willing, pledge to run the Dog Friendly Barcode. Venue owners are the heart of this campaign, and we will be in touch as it grows.

Only if you tick the newsletter box when you sign. Signing the petition on its own never signs you up for email. If you do opt in, we will send you campaign updates once a month and every email has a one-click unsubscribe.

We use it to build a real, verifiable record of support. We never sell, share or publicly show your contact details. Full detail is on our Privacy and Terms page.

The campaign is Canada-wide. Our first wins are likely in Ontario, where the law already allows it, and Alberta, which has been cutting this kind of red tape. But every province and territory is in scope, and every signature counts.