Stopping in for a quick takeaway coffee while on a walk with your dog is a classic pastime.
But, it appears some people are officially sick of it, with one woman taking to Reddit to ask how she should deal with dogs in places they’re not supposed to be.
“Would it be a Karen move?”
A Sydney woman has taken to Reddit asking a question about her local cafe’s dog policy, and whether she can ask them to properly enforce it.
“Where I live there is a really nice and popular Cafe with an outdoor seating area,” the woman said in the post.
“There is a sign on the door saying to please keep dogs outside but a lot of people ignore it and bring their pooches inside while waiting for takeaway coffee. I’m an animal lover but not a big fan of dogs inside eateries. They are unhygienic.
“Would it be a Karen move to ask the staff to enforce the dog policy?”
“The customer will be gone soon”
Many commenters on the post agreed with the woman, saying she’d have every right to ask the staff to enforce the cafe’s policy.
“I’d appreciate it if you do that, but I don’t mind being a KaRob (?) myself. My Dad brings bags of dog food to a local cafe and feeds his dogs on the tables. It’s f–king disgusting. Yes, I told him,” said one commenter.
“Speak to the customers ignoring the sign yourself, save the poor barista that’s probably under the pump the hassle,” another suggested.
However others said that though the people were doing the wrong thing, saying something would be a Karen move and a waste of effort.
“It’s really the staff deciding to pick their battles a lot of the time tbh, the customer will be gone soon and the situation resolves itself,” one suggested.
“Not a fan. But truthfully, if they’re waiting for a takeaway coffee, it’s not likely to be long. As long as they aren’t slobbering over customers and and are under their owners control.. who cares?” another agreed.
“I have a dog. I don’t like dogs in cafes either. Beer gardens are fine. Would you be a Karen asking for dogs to be removed? Sorry, yes,” said a third.
Should dogs be allowed?
The post kickstarted a wider debate around whether dogs should be allowed inside cafes at all.
Many agreed with the original poster, calling dogs loud, slobbery, and unhygienic.
“Not a fan. They stink, they piss — and can bother other patrons such as the elderly, infants or children,” one commenter said.
“Eat with your dog all you want, but I don’t want to be forced to eat with your dog as well. I also very much don’t want to have a leg dripping with dog saliva. Is that too much to ask if I’m trying to enjoy a cup of coffee,” another added.
“I don’t like dogs being where I am eating or drinking. Your dog is an animal. It’s capable of living in the wild. It won’t die if it stays home alone for a couple of hours while you go out, whether or not it’s your ‘fur baby’ or whatever other sad euphemism you use for needing an animal to fill a gap in your personality,” said a third.
Others disagreed, saying their dogs should be just as welcome as everyone else.
“I don’t really get the unhygienic argument. Humans have been living (and eating) with and near dogs forever and we are doing ok,” said one commenter.
“I don’t care, I like dogs. No more or less hygienic than having a dog in your house,” said another.
However, most said it depends on the dog itself, and its behavior in public.
“I love dogs and don’t mind them in cafes as long as they’re well-behaved,” said one commenter.
“as long as the dog isn’t one of those tiny loud yaps-at-everything dogs,” said another.
“Know your dog. Mine isn’t great in busy public settings because he whines too much to get moving so we don’t take him to cafes,” a third said.
