DTLA's 'pup-up' dog cafe combines coffee, pet adoptions

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES -- In the mood for good coffee and some puppy love? Head down to the The Dog Cafe in downtown Los Angeles, a "pup-up" shop trying to shake up the way people think about pet adoptions.

"We're like a pop-up shop, but a 'pup-up' shop. We're doing it for four days," said Sarah Wolfgang, founder of The Dog Cafe.

Ely Quinones and her friend Ivan Koumaev drove all the way from Valley Village to check out the cafe.

"It gives these dogs a chance to have a new home that probably were abused or just abandoned," Quinones said.

Those not looking to adopt can also just drop in to enjoy the coffee and the four-legged company. All the dogs are from the Los Angeles-based rescue Wags and Walks.

"Shelter dogs taken out of the shelter and put in a bright, happy environment without the bars, I think people are able to imagine them as their pets," said Lesley Brog, founder of Wags and Walks.

Organizers of the 'pup-up' say too many dogs are overlooked in typical shelters, and many never get a second chance, but a dog cafe can change that.

"Sometimes dogs can be super barky because they're super stressed out or super shy, so were just trying to eliminate that whole factor," Wolfgang said.

For now, The Dog Cafe remains a pop-up business until enough support and funding allows the creators to make it permanent.

The Dog Cafe is open through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 838 South Los Angeles Street in downtown Los Angeles. Admission is $15.