By Tom Grundy
Copyright hongkongfp
Hong Kong is set to relax a decades-old rule that bans pet dogs in restaurants, with the city’s leader announcing a new licensing scheme during his 2025 Policy Address.
Chief Executive John Lee told lawmakers at the Legislative Council on Wednesday that many businesses have been enacting pet-friendly policies lately.
“Government statistics show that more than 240,000 households in Hong Kong keep cats and dogs as pets. The pets amount to more than 400,000 – that generated [an] enormous consumption market, including food and products, healthcare, insurance, grooming, training and more,” he said.
“Clear signage will be put up by permitted restaurants so that customers know that dogs are allowed,” Lee said, adding that the policy would create new business opportunities for the food and beverage sector.
Currently, Hong Kong’s Food Business Regulation prohibits dogs from entering food premises, except for guide dogs and police dogs. The rule has been in place since 1994 – offenders could face fines of up to HK$10,000 and jail for up to three months.
A government source told HKFP on Wednesday that there would be a quota to limit the number of licences, but the figure would be set after consultation with the restaurant sector.
The source said that hygiene and safety conditions would be considered at each eatery, such as the proximity of food preparation areas to diners.
They added that restaurants’ licence renewals would be tied to the pet permit, meaning there would not be a separate process for renewals. Existing rules, whereby dogs over 20kg must be leashed in public, would still apply, though there are no plans to limit the size of pets allowed.
Pet-friendly policies
In February last year, authorities hinted that they were considering a relaxation of the rules. At the time, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said the government would need to “strike a balance on the need to safeguard public health and hygiene.”
Between 2020 and 2024, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department had carried out 17 prosecutions related to dogs in restaurants, according to a government reply to lawmaker Benson Luk in April.
Passengers are now allowed to take cats and dogs on light rail MTR trains following a trial. However, a long list of rules is in place. Pets are also now welcome on all Sun Ferry passenger routes.
