Get ready, dog lovers, because the first dog cafè has arrived, and it is what dog owners all around have been yearning for. The Dog Cafè in Sheikh Zayed is a place where we can combine our love for dogs and coffee…in one spot. To learn more about the establishment and how the concept came to be, we chatted with Ola Loutfi, partner and managing director of The Dog Cafè. This is a coffeeshop that is distinguished not only by the way it welcomes dogs and the services it provides them and their owners, but also by its mission. The Dog Cafè, according to Loutfi, is a place that promises to provide a safe and an inviting environment for dog owners to drink coffee while their dogs munch on treats.
So how did this idea come to be? Well, it all began with a simple conversation between Loutfi and her future business partner. The topic of discussion was how many establishments do not allow customers to bring their dogs inside, making dog owners feel uneasy and unwelcome at most cafès in Egypt and having to leave their dogs behind. Loutfi a dog owner with with extensive knowledge, having founded her own dog food brand a few years earlier and aspired to expand within the market, knew that the venture was a necessity. Loutfi and partner decided to merge their love for dogs and coffee, having always wanted to create a coffee shop, they thought, “why not open a cafè for dogs?” Loutfi went on to say that the demand for such a coffee shop has been growing steadily since COVID-19’s outbreak, and that many people were feeling lonely and wanted to close that gap by adopting dogs and becoming pet owners.
The Dog Cafè is distinguished not only because it welcomes dogs but also the services it provides them and their owners, promising to provide a safe and inviting environment for dog owners to drink coffee while their dogs munch on treats. Additionally, while sipping on their favourite coffee, it is a place that encourages camaraderie and creates a cordial environment among pet owners. Loutfi went on to tell us about how her coffee business is also a mission to raise environmental awareness by recycling waste from coffee leftovers and redistributing it as fertilizers to those who want to plant trees and so work toward a cleaner environment. In addition, there are numerous projects aimed at assisting stray dogs and raising awareness for them, Talya’s Rescue Furbabies & Co., for example, is an animal rescue project, and The Dog Cafè is creating awareness for such a non-profit organization by providing bulletins for people to donate and become involved in the cause.
The Dog Cafè is now in its soft opening phase, with a big opening scheduled for the tenth of the upcoming month! Loutfi discussed her plans to build a calendar for different activities that will bring people together and foster community. She plans to invite dog trainers and psychologists to speak to those who have had a specific trauma related to dogs, as well as how to overcome the fear that some people may have of dogs. It is certainly a safe refuge for individuals who wish to not have to leave their dogs home alone.