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64
premises in which food is sold. In the House of Commons on
the 2nd November, 1950, the Minister said, in answer to a
question:—
"I agree that dogs should not be allowed in food shops.
It is a most unhygienic practice. But I cannot feel that I
would have any great success if I tried to stop it by a prohibitive
regulation. Here is a problem more likely to be solved by
voluntary action and I appeal to the public and the food
trade to co-operate in keeping dogs out of their shops."
The Minister is aware that many local authorities have
encouraged food traders to display a notice signed by the
Medical Officer of Health requesting customers not to bring
dogs into the premises. He feels that the general adoption of
this practice would be a practical step to a higher standard
of food hygiene and therefore recommends all authorities
to consider the advantage of issuing a notice on the lines of the
model set out overleaf in the appendix to this circular.
At their meeting in November the Leyton Council decided to
adopt the Ministry's suggestion, and copies of the following notice
were printed for publication in food shops, restaurants, etc.:—
Dogs. In the interest of Hygiene you are requested not
to bring your dog into premises in which food is sold.
(Sd.) A. W. FORREST,
Medical Officer of Health.
Circulars were sent to the 568 food premises in the Borough
asking for the proprietors' co-operation in exhibiting the notice,
and 95 replies were received requesting a total of 171 copies of the
notice.