The restaurant industry and pet owners have urged the government to map out clear licensing rules, especially on hygiene, as Hong Kong prepares to lift a 30-year-old ban on dogs in eateries.
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Simon Wong Kit-lung, chairman of the LH Group of restaurants and a dog owner, said the licence should explicitly define even basic points to avoid conflict.
He said the primary responsibility for managing dogs should lie with the owners. They should have legal responsibility for their pets’ actions, he added.
“Owners also need to ask themselves whether their dog is suitable to be taken to a restaurant,” Wong added, noting that not all pets were suited to a restaurant environment with other animals.
Wong said the licence should include a requirement that dogs could not urinate or defecate in the restaurant, or that owners needed to be the ones to clean up in the event of any accidents. He also suggested eateries should consider separate zones for regular diners and owners with their dogs.
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The city leader’s latest policy address included a pledge to lift a ban in place since 1994 on pet dogs inside restaurants, with eateries expected to be able to apply for a special licence starting mid-2026. The government will consult the industry later this year on terms to be included in the licence.