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London life getting you down? Feeling stressed by the rat race? Good news, because there’s a new café where you can cuddle and play with rescue pugs, something which is scientifically proven to boost mental health. And it’s for a good cause because it’s also raising money for the National Pug Protection Trust.
CuppaPug in Haggerston opened in June and is designed for dog owners and dog lovers. The six resident rescue dogs belong to café owners Aaron Carty and Matt Pieterse who have partnered with the charity which regularly visits the café with pugs that need adopting. You’re also welcome to bring your own pug, but it’s not 100 percent clear whether other breeds of dog are allowed.
There are no tables at the café so canines are free to run around as they please. And move over Ballie Ballerson, because CuppaPug has also got a big pink ballpit (just for dogs). The ‘pug playground’ is designed with flat-faced furry friends in mind.
Carty and Pieterse were inspired to open the venue when their six-year-old pooch Gaston was suffering. ‘I didn’t know anyone else with a pug and he had really bad separation anxiety,’ Carty told the Metro. ‘I could never get to any pug meets and thought I’d take him to a pug café, but there wasn’t one.’
The pair’s five other pups are all adopted, with some of them suffering from illnesses like epilepsy and heart murmurs, which is why they wanted to raise awareness and money.
The couple explained that each night the pugs are taken home, so they don’t actually live in the café. Carty added: ‘When we decided that we wanted to open the CuppaPug, we wanted to make sure that we had a charity partner who could advise us on the welfare of the pugs, educate customers on how to adopt pugs and – although they’re our own pets – we wanted a charity that could review us on a regular basis.’
An hour amongst the pugs will set you back a tenner and it’s recommended to book before you go. 10 percent of all fees go to the National Pug Protection Trust.
CuppaPug, 5 Ability Plaza, E8 4DT. Thu-Sun. £10.
More cute animals! The Thames is filled with happy, healthy porpoises.