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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has finally laid out the roadmap for how our four-legged friends can join their owners inside Hong Kong restaurants.
The official application window for the city’s first wave of pet-friendly restaurant permits opens on May 18 and will run until June 8. However, don’t expect every bistro in Soho to suddenly become a puppy playground, as the government has capped the initial phase at just 1,000 restaurants (that’s roughly five per cent of the city’s licensed eateries) to help manage the transition. If the F&B sector’s enthusiasm outstrips that quota – which seems highly likely as the first of four government briefing sessions drew over 150 industry members – the FEHD will resort to using a lottery system to allocate permits. A ballot is expected to take place in mid-June to determine the successful venues, who will then pay a $140 fee to amend their licences.
While the first batch of approvals is expected to be signed off by mid-June, restaurants won’t be allowed to admit dogs immediately. To give businesses time to train staff and install the required signage, the government will announce a specific ‘go-live’ date in July. Until that day, the old rules still apply.
For those worried about hygiene – or the prospect of cute puppy eyes at the next table guilt-tripping you for a scrap of your lunch – the FEHD has released a stringent set of ground rules to keep things civilised. Restaurants must occupy a space larger than 20 square metres and maintain a clean licensing record with no suspensions or cancellations in the previous 12 months. Certain dining formats, including hotpot and barbecue joints, are also strictly off-limits due to safety reasons.
Inside the permitted venues, dogs must be kept on a leash no longer than 1.5 metres at all times, held by an adult or secured to a fixed furniture point (not a wobbly chair). Dogs are strictly prohibited from sitting on chairs or tables and must stay at least 1.5 metres away from any buffet or salad bar. Staff are also forbidden from touching any animals while they are handling food, and if your dog has a mid-meal mishap, the rules mandate immediate, thorough disinfection of the area.
Fighting dog breeds such as the pit bull terrier, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa, and Fila Brasileiro are also barred from entry, as are any dogs previously flagged by the courts as ‘known dangerous’. All approved restaurants will be required to display a large A3 sign at the door, so that diners are fully aware of what kind of environment they’re walking into before entering.
To help the trade transition, the FEHD will assign designated officers to visit every successful restaurant before the launch to brief operators on legal requirements and compliance. For more information or to view the full set of guidelines, visit the official FEHD website at fehd.gov.hk.
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