Cat cafes are becoming increasingly popular. The first one opened up back in 1998 in Taiwan, but it was in Japan that the idea really took off and then started to spread around the world. Now, you can find a couple of cat cafes in many big cities, each offering a relaxing place for people to sit back with a nice cup of coffee and lots of furry felines around to cuddle and play with.
The cat cafe concept has started to evolve in recent years, with everything from hedgehog cafes to owl cafes also opening up, and now we have a dog bar too!
Located in Portland, Oregon, Fido’s Taphouse is the world’s first bar and restaurant that is also a refuge for rescue dogs, giving diners and customers a chance to meet some friendly dogs and even adopt one to take home!
Fido’s was founded by Scott Porter. Scott felt inspired by cat cafes and wanted to create something similar, but based around dogs.
He knew that he needed to make some adjustments to the concept. You can’t really let a bunch of dogs loose in a cafe as they could jump around and cause a lot of chaos, so Scott thought long and hard about his idea, eventually deciding that a bar was the best option.
Like any other taphouse, Fido’s offers a range of beers and great tasting snacks in the main dining area. There’s also a separate doggy room where patrons can meet the pups and play around with them safely.
The dog bar can house up to eight dogs at any one time, although it usually only has three or four, and is always open for adoptions. Any customers who really take a liking to one of the dogs can fill out some paperwork and collect them a few days later.
Sensibly, the bar always makes guests wait at least a few days to confirm that they definitely want the dog and aren’t just making a rash decision after having a few beers.
This ensures that the dogs go to responsible owners who really can provide for them, and Fido’s has already helped re-home more than 70 pups so far!
The dogs are taken from kill shelters around California, where they would normally be put down due to a lack of space and resources to care for them. This gives them a second chance at life, and that’s something that the owner knows all about.
Scott knows firsthand the amazing effects dogs can have on people. He’s had to deal with some serious depression in his life and credits his dogs for helping him get through it.
He says that without his dogs, he probably wouldn’t even be alive today, and he wants to give something back and help as many of them find happy homes as he can.
Fido’s has only been open since 2018 and already changed the lives of so many dogs and their new owners.
It’s a wonderful place, filled with love, hope, and lots of wagging tails. Anyone considering adopting a dog and finding themselves in the Portland area should definitely stop by, and you can watch the video below to learn more.
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