I have my license as a home baker right now. I have not had an order since Christmas time, which is fine right now. Things have been busy. I got my license so I could sell cakes when people needed them. Anyway, we decided to go ahead and get a kitten. So, I take all my info off my website about selling cakes and it is now more of an inspiration type site. Some day I am hoping to have a seperate kitchen. But, the kitten took precidence (I really missed having a cat!). So, anyway, like I said, I haven't had an order since Christmas. Since we got the kitten on Saturday, I have had 4 people call to make orders. Can you believe it? I am going to make three of them because they are for friends and I am not going to charge now, since I just don't have the conscience to lie about having a cat. But, I had to turn one down completely, because I won't make one for strangers at all. I still plan on making cakes, but only for family and friends and only if they give me the ingredients. I just couldn't believe that suddenly all these came in. Figures! Oh, well. The cute kitty sitting on my chest right now and purring away is worth having to turn them away. Someday I will have a seperate kitchen...someday...

I could only imagine how you must feel , and makes u wonder huh . Well enjoy your kitty,

Does PA specifically forbid pets for home bakers?

I live in VA and the DOA says you can have a pet as long as you either have a way to shut the kitchen off from the rest of the house or can confine it to another room when baking/decorating.

You are also required to mop and wipe down the entire kitchen with a bleach solution before beginning work (of course, that's just common sense to me.)

Yup, PA says no pets unless they are in a cage. When I first wanted to get my license, we had a dog and I asked the inspector if I put doors on my kitchen, would that work and he said no. The animal can not be in the house. The dog died, unfortunately, so I got my licensse and now 2 years later I got a cat. She's too cute, though. My DH and I are trying to figure out if we can add a second kitchen. I don't know if it would be cheaper to redo our garage or to add one on with a sunroom. I don't know how much anything costs. I'll be up and running again sometime.

That's too bad. What timing huh! Thankfully my state allows home bakeries but there can be no free-roaming pets. I have 2 dogs. Because of this, we have been building a separate kitchen/bakery in our basement where the dogs will not have any access to. I checked with our HD before proceeding, and she said as long as the dogs cannot get into the kitchen at all and are never allowed in that kitchen, then I can still get licensed.

I feel your pain though. As much as I want to have my own legal cake business, if I was forced to choose between no dogs or no bakery, I'd choose no bakery and find some other way to make cakes. My dogs are my kids, so I can totally relate when you talk about your kitten.

Hopefully you can find a way to make a separate space for your cake baking and get back at it and fill orders. I can't wait for the day I get 4 orders in a matter of a few days!

Aww. I couldn't live without a pet, so I totally understand the kitty coming first

Well what difference does it make if you have a pet? I know people who have no pets and I would never eat anything out of there home haha......and I know people with cats who are very clean.....just one more stupid government dictate My kitten is so dear and sweet he watches me when I am decorating and he is such a little sweety. I think if I had to sell cakes it would no longer be fun, too many rules for me LOL I am a rebel with paws teehee

Home businesses are regulated closely to the rules and regulations as storefront food services. I wouldn't want cats and dogs running around the kitchen at Olive Garden while I am having my meal.

I know we all have horror stories about restaurant kitchens, but there has to be bylaws that are upheld. Some will always follow those rules better than others.

Thats true enoguh, but it use to be "freedom" of choice as to where you buy things or eat......but your right I guess the Government knows better whats good for us huh.?

I think there is still freedom of choice where we eat or buy things. (???)
Yes, I am glad the government has rules and regulations on food services. Call me crazy!

ok, crazy

I agree with the law. I wouldn't want pet hair. So, I did tell my friend that wants a cake about the cat. She was funny because it cracked her up I said something, seeing she has 5 cats. Hehheeh. But, no selling. that's okay. Funny story about the cat - we named her Maggie on Saturday...we are now trying to decide between Mozart and Gus. That's right, we found out she's a boy today. The pet store made a mistake. Oops!! I am having a hard time saying "he" and "Gus". I liked Maggie. DH said no boy of his is going to be named Maggie. I guess, since we have two DD's and a girl hamster, he should have that right for a boy cat. He needs some testosterome (sp?) around...even if it only for a few weeks until the big snip snip!! HAHA! Poor thing...

Of course I'd never want any kind of hair in my food, but I'm being completely honest that if I had to choose between finding a cat or dog hair in my foot versus a human hair, I could seriously pick out the dog or cat hair and still eat whatever I was eating. However, if I found a human hair in my food, I'd almost vomit and would not even eat one more bite, even if it was my own hair. Human hair just makes me sick to my stomach.

I completely understand the no pets allowed in any areas where baking/cooking go on, but I have yet to see any specific rules about wearing hair nets and latex gloves by the people decorating. There's more of a chance of a hair falling off the decorator into the cake batter or into the icing than there is of a pet hair, assuming the pet is not participating in the decorating or watching from a perch right above the cake.

Thankfully I live in a state with cottage food laws that allow for home bakeries, but pets must not have any access to the area where baking goes on. I completely understand this. I agree that pets shouldn't be in the same kitchen or in an open area even near the kitchen. I feel bad for those in states though that will only allow home bakeries if there are no pets at all. You can have a very clean, sanitary kitchen and still have pets live in the same house.

I absolutely abhore ANY kind of hair in my food,and will definitely not eat anything where a pet is around.but that is just me.I know a lot of people don't mind.

Isn't that the way it always happens? No orders for ever, then all of a sudden - BOOM! You could suddenly be over whelmed.

Anyway, enjoy baking and decorating for your friends. That will give you practice and you can still enjoy your kitty. (I like the name Mozart! Adorable).

Toni

Funny little fact: if a hair (human or otherwise) is found in food, it's not considered contaminated, it's just considered as having a 'foreign object' in it.... Still find it gross myself.

I vote for Mozart, that was my first dog's name.

I understand about the kitty, I've got two and I wouldn't trade them in for anything (at least most days lol).

The winner was Gus. I was voted down 3 to 1 Though, I think the 2 year old only voted for Gus because her sister did. But, Gus is still a cute name. I am laying linoleum on the bathroom floor tonight. I had the heating vent opened and turned around for 1 second to get the tile I needed and the little sucker jumped into the heating vent and took off down the pipe. I don't know how far he went, but luckily we enticed him back up with a treat. Man, oh, man did I lose my heart for a moment. He scared me. He's a quick little bugger.