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Emily Hung

Hong Kong’s introduction of pet-friendly dining at designated restaurants has drawn significant public criticism, prompting some lawmakers to call for tighter vetting of licences.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department had received about 20 complaints as of Monday following the launch of the scheme on July 9.
The department earlier said most complaints involved minor issues such as leash lengths and seating arrangements.
However, viral videos showing dogs licking plates and sitting on tables and chairs have sparked widespread criticism.
On Monday, a Chinese restaurant in Kai Tak holding a pet-friendly permit received a warning letter after the department found that food had been repeatedly cooked or heated on the dining table over three days.

In response, catering sector lawmaker Jonathan Leung Chun said the initial “chaos” would pass as the industry settled in.
“This is a learning phase for the whole society; if the restaurants find dog-friendliness is not their thing, they should return the permits, but those who are good at it will thrive,” he said.
“Some operators tell us their business has doubled; that is a surge you do not even see during holidays.”
Leung said businesses should not be barred from the scheme based on the type of food they offered, because that would be unfair to those performing well.
However, he admitted many rushed to apply purely out of a fear of missing out before assessing whether their customers owned pets or if their building’s deed of mutual covenant legally allowed dogs.
He expected that by the next round, businesses would be better prepared, having familiarised themselves with the requirements to operate as dog-friendly venues.
According to the department list, the number of dog-friendly restaurants fell from more than 940 on Thursday to 937 on Saturday, before climbing to 947 by Wednesday as more businesses received permits.
A check by the South China Morning Post found that several restaurants were removed from the list.
Three were located inside public housing estates: a McDonald’s branch in Yau Tong’s Yau Lai shopping centre, an Itamomo Cafe in Kwun Tong’s Tsui Ping North Shopping Circuit and a Cafe 100% branch in Tseung Kwan O’s Ming Tak shopping centre.
Another three were hotel restaurants. Alva House and Yat Heen in Alva Hotel in Sha Tin, both of which shut down in June, were removed, along with Nan Fong inside Le Méridien Hong Kong in Cyberport.
The remaining removed venues were Nodi in M+ Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District, Poach by 3rd Space in Mong Kok and a Super Super Congee and Noodle branch at the Manhattan Mid-Town shopping arcade in Sham Shui Po.
The SCMP reached out to five restaurants – Itamomo Cafe, McDonald’s, Nam Fong, Super Super and Poach by 3rd Space – but none commented.
Nodi withdrew from the scheme because M+ bans pets, while Cafe 100%’s parent company withdrew over concerns over the impact that allowing dogs might have on its other patrons.
Dog owner Damon Chan, in his thirties, told the SCMP that he had not visited any dog-friendly restaurants in the past week because of a wave of online hostility towards pets at dining venues.
“I originally thought dining out with my dog would be a happy thing, but I don’t want to feel pressured by the feeling that we are constantly being monitored [by other customers],” Chan said, adding he would feel more comfortable visiting once the online backlash subsided.
He said dog owners must exercise self-discipline, and urged others to be more understanding. “Only then can everyone dine together comfortably and happily,” he added.

Lawmaker Adrian Pedro Ho King-hong, who is also a pet owner, described the initial friction as an expected “adjustment period”, saying there was clear room for improvement.
He argued that certain venues – such as cha chaan teng, fast-food outlets and traditional Chinese teahouses – were fundamentally unsuited for animals due to their cramped layouts and high foot traffic.
However, he stressed that the onus was on operators to adapt, saying that restaurants should either redesign their spaces to accommodate pets, or simply opt out of the scheme. “The policy itself isn’t wrong; the issue is the unsuitable hardware,” he said.
He criticised the current lottery system, arguing that a blind draw could unfairly hand quotas to big-name chains with multiple branches, even when their layouts were unsuitable for animals.
But some smaller independent shops that had successfully operated as pet-friendly venues for years were left empty-handed in the lottery, he said.

The government received over 2,100 applications for the scheme, more than double the initial quota of 1,000 places. After a ballot, over 940 restaurants received permits to begin operations on July 9.
The government said it would launch a second round of applications after six months, offering another 1,000 places.
“The government should assess each applicant individually during the screening process,” Ho said.
He added that authorities should also mandate designated pet zones to give diners clearer seating choices, including those without dogs.
Currently, the government has only said operators may decide whether to designate dog-friendly zones based on their circumstances and has recommended physical barriers in its guidelines.
“There needs to be that physical distance, even if it’s just setting aside two out of 10 tables in a designated corner.”
John Burns, an emeritus professor at the University of Hong Kong’s department of politics and public administration, noted that the city lacked experience in implementing pet-friendly dining compared with neighbouring jurisdictions such as Taiwan, leaving local operators with a limited understanding of the practical consequences.
Nevertheless, Burns said he believed that any friction over the policy would remain contained because it did not affect every member of society, but a citywide survey would be helpful to gauge public sentiment and guide future fine-tuning.
Additional reporting by Theodora Yu
Click here for a list of food premises with dog-entry permits.


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Hongkongers’ new pet peeve over dogs at diners sparks calls for tougher vetting

Customers enjoy a meal with their dog in tow at Old Fung Tea House in Mong Kok. Photo: Sam Tsang

Lawmaker Jonathan Leung says the initial “chaos” will only happen once as the industry settles in. Photo: Eugene Lee

Lawmaker Adrian Pedro Ho describes the initial friction as an expected “adjustment period”. Photo: Karma Lo

Professor John Burns says the city lacks experience in implementing pet-friendly dining. Photo: Handout

A branch of Cafe 100% restaurant has opted out of the newly launched dog-friendly licencing scheme. Photo: Sam Tsang

A woman with her dog in a restaurant at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin. Photo: Sam Tsang

Some ‘responsible’ restaurants pull out from dog-friendly scheme amid complaints

Hong Kong’s new dog-friendly dining scheme has drawn about 20 complaints since its launch. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hygiene chief Albert Yuen says most complaints involved minor issues such as leash length and seating arrangements. Photo: Jonathan Wong

A branch of Cafe 100% in Ma On Shan has withdrawn from the newly launched dog licence scheme. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong’s dog-friendly licence scheme triggers fierce online debate

A branch of Cafe 100% in Kam Ying Shopping Centre has pulled out of the scheme. Photo: Sam Tsang

A branch of Cafe 100% posted a notice outside the premises on Friday saying it had opted out of the policy. Photo: Handout

Lawmaker Chan Hoi-yan has urged restraint amid the debate. Photo: Sun Yeung

How luxury hotels are stepping up dog-friendly offerings for a new wave of travellers

Luxury hotels are getting creative in their pet-friendly offerings to cater to a growing demand. Photo: Shutterstock

The Lytle Park Hotel welcomes dogs. Photo: @lytleparkhotel/Instagram

Fairmont Tokyo’s resident dog, Serene. Photo: Fairmont Tokyo

Hotel Teatro is one of many pet-friendly hotels in the US. Photo: @teatrodenver/Instagram

Sanctuary Beach Resort in Monterey, California, celebrates National Pet Month. Photo: @sanctuarybeachresort/Instagram

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Viral videos showing dogs licking plates and sitting on tables and chairs have drawn widespread criticism


Viral videos showing dogs licking plates and sitting on tables and chairs have drawn widespread criticism.


Adrian Pedro Ho King-hong

Nan Fung

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

McDonald's

Hongkongers’ new pet peeve over dogs at diners sparks calls for tougher vetting

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Viral videos showing dogs licking plates and sitting on tables and chairs have drawn widespread criticism

Viral videos showing dogs licking plates and sitting on tables and chairs have drawn widespread criticism