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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tampa dog bar forced to shut down after losing legal battle with state
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Pups Pub in Tampa is preparing to close its doors this weekend after losing a legal battle with the state over its dog-friendly indoor operations. The business, which allows dogs to roam freely both inside and outside its premises, initially won a lawsuit in 2023 that permitted non-service animals indoors. But the Florida Department of Health appealed the decision and won. A state court ultimately ruled that the Department of Health has the authority to prohibit non-service animals inside any food service business, effectively banning the indoor-outdoor dog bar model. 4 dolphins from Florida park involved in criminal investigation moved to Clearwater Marine Aquarium 'To use the term divide and conquer, they picked one entity,' attorney Gary De Pury, at De Pury Law told News Channel 8. 'They went through the entire legal battle in order to create all the legal precedents. And now they can pick five, six, eight, ten at a time and start shutting them all down by saying, okay, we don't like what you're doing.' While other dog bars in places like St. Petersburg remain open for now, legal experts said they could face similar scrutiny if the health department decides to expand enforcement. 'Until the health department comes in their establishment [and says], okay, here's the new ordinance and you have to shut it down,' the attorney added. 'And as you know, laws change every single day in Florida.' In a Facebook post announcing the abrupt closure, the owners of Pups Pub wrote: 'Despite previously winning our case in 2023, the Department of Health appealed and ultimately reversed the ruling. We are heartbroken to announce we will be closing our doors this Saturday.' The decision has left loyal patrons and pet lovers disappointed. 'With any neighborhood bar, everybody kind of knows their name and their dogs,' one visitor said. 'I think it's kind of a travesty. I feel very sorry for the patrons and the business owner.' Pups Pub's final day of operation is set for Saturday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Popular Tampa dog bar Pups Pub closing, owners cite changes to state regulation enforcement
The Brief Pups Pub is closing its Tampa location this weekend. It comes after a years-long legal battle over state regulations. A farewell party will take place this Saturday at the dog bar off W. Kennedy Blvd. TAMPA, Fla. - A popular dog bar in Tampa will close its doors for good this weekend, with Pups Pub's owners citing a years-long battle over changes to enforcement of state regulations. The backstory Pups Pub opened off W. Kennedy Blvd. in 2020 after the Florida Dept. of Health approved several dog bars across the state. In a post on social media Tuesday, the bar's owners said the business passed all health inspections during its first two years of operation, and a second location opened in downtown Orlando in 2022. Dig deeper The owners said things took a turn that same year when a newly-promoted FDOH official "unilaterally reversed the department's interpretation, deciding that operating an indoor/outdoor dog bar – which had been fully approved and compliant under FDOH jurisdiction for years – was suddenly prohibited." Pups Pub took legal action against the state agency, which said dogs are not permitted inside a business where anything consumable is served – even ice. The bar's owners argued the state was misinterpreting its own food regulations. PREVIOUS: Legal battle continues for dogs in Florida bars, centered around pub with Tampa location In 2023, a judge ruled in favor of Pups Pub, but the state appealed. Court records show that the First District Court of Appeal reversed the 2023 ruling on April 30, 2025. The appellate ruling reads, in part: "We agree with DOH that the challenged statements applied the governing law. Therefore, they do not constitute an unadopted rule in derogation of the statutory requirement that agency rules be established through the formal rulemaking process. What they're saying In Tuesday's post on social media, Pups Pub wrote, in part: "The FDOH's legal strategy was to isolate a single business to set a precedent before enforcing it on the rest of the industry. More than a dozen other dog bars are expected to close in the wake of this rule." What's next Pups Pub Tampa will host a farewell party this Saturday, June 7, from noon until 11 p.m. The owners say franchisees have been working to open new locations in Brandon and Clermont, which will be open-air. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source This story was written with information from a post on social media by Pups Pub, court records from the State of Florida and previous FOX 13 News reports. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tampa business owner killed in plane crash in the Philippines
The Brief A Tampa business owner died in a plane crash in the Philippines earlier this month. All four passengers who were on board the plane, which was contracted by the U.S. military, were killed. The man from Tampa co-founded the Pup's Pub, a Tampa dog bar with multiple locations. TAMPA, Fla. - A Tampa business owner who served our country died when his plane – which was contracted by the U.S. military – crashed in the Philippines earlier this month. All four passengers on board, including Trevor Tackett, were killed. Tackett was 32-years-old. The backstory He co-founded Pups Pub, a Tampa dog bar with multiple locations, with Alex Wright and Sheila Suhar. Wright said close friends knew Tackett as "Hurricane Trevor." "When Hurricane Trevor was in town, the bar did better, significantly better," Wright told FOX 13. "We always had better sales the weeks and months that he was here versus when he wasn't." What they're saying Wright met Tackett in the Air Force when they were intelligence analysts. "He's a big personality," Wright said. "He sucked people in, and, you know, he was the best kind of hurricane." Dig deeper Wright told FOX 13 Tackett was working "intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance" missions as a government contractor. According to the Associated Press, that's what Tackett was doing on the aircraft in the Philippines on Feb. 6. Residents there reportedly saw smoke coming from the aircraft and then heard an explosion before it crashed. There were no survivors. "He absolutely should be remembered," Wright said. "And he paid the ultimate sacrifice." What's next On Tuesday, a memorial continued to grow at the Tampa location of Pups Pub. This Saturday, Tackett's friends and family will come together to celebrate his life at the Tampa bar. "Everyone's going to be here, and they're going to pay their respects," Wright said. "I want them to celebrate his life, because that's what he'd want." The celebration of life starts at 6 p.m. at Pups Pub in Tampa on Saturday. The bar is also raising money for Tackett's favorite cause – K9s for Warriors – in his honor. The Source The information in this story was gathered through interviews with Alex Wright, who co-founded Pups Pub with Trevor Tackett. The Associated Press also contributed to this report. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
