Sometime in the distant future, when I develop more talent, with the help of all of you, of course, I would like to have a home-based bakery. There is one problem. In the state of PA, the first requirement for a license is to have no pets in the home at any time. This is a huge problem for me and my five fuzzy friends. This requirement does make perfect sense to me really. Is there some way around this other than opening up a store front? Gee wiz that is just way too aggressive for starts.
When we spoke to the health inspector, basically you can't even have a goldfish in an upstairs bedroom. They aren't messing around. No pets outside either. They can also stop in to inspect whenever they want without notice!
i would try renting some space in a licensed kitchen. much cheaper to start with than building or buying your own! look for a caterer or a restaurant that would like to make some more money by letting you pay for some time in their kitchen.
Where in Pa are you? We are very far out in the boonies, so the guy has not much else to do! I think it goes by county at how often they check!
I think you are a few counties north of me - I'm in Columbia County.
I'd be happy to share anything we found out.
Hey it's not the boonies!! You're in the county of the city with the highest crime rate in the state. 
Well, if not the highest, it's one of the highest... I'm in Reading, and sent you a PM
Hey it's not the boonies!! You're in the county of the city with the highest crime rate in the state. Well, if not the highest, it's one of the highest... I'm in Reading, and sent you a PM
When we spoke to the health inspector, basically you can't even have a goldfish in an upstairs bedroom. They aren't messing around. No pets outside either. They can also stop in to inspect whenever they want without notice!
Really? I have my paperwork but haven't sent it in yet. I had emailed the Dept of Ag to ask about my dogs, which live ONLY outdoors, but nobody replied to the question. The dogs are too old just to give away and I'd feel bad sending them to the shelter after we've had them since they were puppies, and they never come inside...however I really need to work on getting licensed too. So its a no-no to have them on the property for sure? Even if they never ever set a paw inside?
I don't suppose I could convince an inspector that the outdoor dogs aren't doing any more harm than the bazillion wild rabbits taking up residence around the neighborhood.... 
Oh and when I talked to them, as long as I am only selling baked goods (nothing perishable) I only have to answer to the dept of ag, not the dept of health.... will that make a difference?
Yes - even outside pets. Like I said, even goldfish in my daughters room upstairs and no where near the kitchen. (Poor Goldie died after being with us 1 week - those goldfish won at a fair get us everytime!) So that wasn't a factor.
The thing that got me was, they can come to inspect ANYTIME they please. I said what if the house is a wreck from a party and I am not serving/making food for clients - he said it doesn't matter. I laughed and said I wouldn't let you in - he said the fine for that is bigger than if I had a rat on the counter. The guy was very nice and honest.
Yes - even outside pets. Like I said, even goldfish in my daughters room upstairs and no where near the kitchen. (Poor Goldie died after being with us 1 week - those goldfish won at a fair get us everytime!) So that wasn't a factor.
The thing that got me was, they can come to inspect ANYTIME they please. I said what if the house is a wreck from a party and I am not serving/making food for clients - he said it doesn't matter. I laughed and said I wouldn't let you in - he said the fine for that is bigger than if I had a rat on the counter. The guy was very nice and honest.
Is that the health dept or the dept of ag? They told me I only need inspected from the dept of ag.... (for nonperishable goods only)... ?
He is a health inspector for the state of Pa. Pa is run by the dept of Ag. If you have ever used an egg in a recipe you use perishable goods! We tried to aruge with him that there are little to no health risks with cake, basically the ingred. count. Also if you use any kind of filling with a cream/milk/egg base. Curd, boston cream filling, custard etc.
He is a health inspector for the state of Pa. Pa is run by the dept of Ag. If you have ever used an egg in a recipe you use perishable goods! We tried to aruge with him that there are little to no health risks with cake, basically the ingred. count. Also if you use any kind of filling with a cream/milk/egg base. Curd, boston cream filling, custard etc.
Now I'm confused. haha.
Who does your main inspection to get you legal? The health inspector or the guy from the dept of Ag? I called my local health dept and they said I answer to the state dept of Ag... basically they said as long as I am selling things that do not need to be refrigerated (baked goods) that I just answer to the dept of Ag...
Well I guess I can't send my paperwork in until my dogs go somewhere or die of old age.... Anybody want two akitas?
Should add - this is just what the inspector said to us. We took a food safety class (waste of time somewhat and not needed) and he came to the class for a Q&A session. The info I have is just his answers - we tried everyway around things and asked 100000000 questions. He thought we were crazy at the end I'm sure!
The health inspector works for the dept of Ag.
Funny...I'm in Westmoreland County just outside of Pittsburgh and the health department doesn't do the inspections. Every year I SCHEDULE a visit for a department of agriculture agent to come to my home and give it his stamp of approval. I highly doubt this guy has ever made a surprise inspection in his life! I also have pets...2 outdoor dogs and 22 chickens...and I've never been told that they were illegal. In fact, the inspector for my region basically pops his head in the door, says that everything is fine and leaves! I'm glad that I don't live in your area.
Funny...I'm in Westmoreland County just outside of Pittsburgh and the health department doesn't do the inspections. Every year I SCHEDULE a visit for a department of agriculture agent to come to my home and give it his stamp of approval. I highly doubt this guy has ever made a surprise inspection in his life! I also have pets...2 outdoor dogs and 22 chickens...and I've never been told that they were illegal. In fact, the inspector for my region basically pops his head in the door, says that everything is fine and leaves! I'm glad that I don't live in your area.
I feel better! Maybe I'll just send my papers in after all and see what happens. The worst they could say is "no, get rid of your pets first".
I would send in the papers! There seems to be a lot of conflicting information on what it takes to be legal in Pennsylvania. Since I sell baked goods at a local farmer's market, I have to be legal. The director of the market told me everything that I needed to do, and since he deals with quite a few food vendors I trusted that the info he gave me was true! In a nutshell, I most certainly have to have the food safety training certificate (a thread on this site a while back said that you didn't but I didn't even try to argue), and the license and the inspection certificate from the department of agriculture. I'd love to know how the Amish get around the "no pet" rule! They have to be legal just like everyone else and they're surrounded by animals both in and out of the house...and I'm not talking about goldfish! I know they're not granted special permission, either. There are several Amish vendor's at my market that have the same inspector that I do and they said that he's never said a word about the cows, horses, dogs, etc. living literally steps from their kitchens. I guess it really does depend on where you live in the state. Good luck!
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