ARTICLE AD BOX
Hong Kong authorities and eateries have said the implementation of a new dog-friendly scheme has been largely “smooth,” as the government steps up inspections in the first month of the policy that allows canines into restaurants for the first time in decades.
Pet dogs inside Wan Land Mori cafe in Kowloon City on July 12, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.Albert Yuen, director of food and environmental hygiene, said on Monday that restaurants and dog lovers have been “rational and cooperative” regarding hygiene and zoning arrangements in the first four days of the new scheme.
Pet dogs inside Wan Land Mori cafe in Kowloon City on July 12, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.Speaking on a radio programme, Yuen said a 90-member Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) taskforce has conducted roughly 2,300 inspections since last Thursday and found most restaurants followed the rules.
Pet dogs inside Wan Land Mori cafe in Kowloon City on July 12, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.Authorities received about 20 complaints, mostly regarding minor irregularities such as the length of dog leashes and the seating positions of canines inside restaurants, he said.
Pet dogs inside Wan Land Mori cafe in Kowloon City on July 12, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.Officers issued verbal warnings, he said, adding that authorities would prioritise caution over enforcement during the first month of the policy, which Yuen called an “adjustment period.”
Pet dogs inside Wan Land Mori cafe in Kowloon City on July 12, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.“The government is promoting self-discipline and mutual respect among three parties: the restaurants, dog owners, and residents. This policy is in a one-month adjustment period, and we will first exercise caution before resorting to enforcement actions,” he said in Cantonese.
Pet dogs inside Wan Land Mori cafe in Kowloon City on July 12, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.“But that doesn’t mean we will relax our regulations, and we will promptly enforce the law if the irregularities are serious and involve hygiene or food safety,” he added.
Pet dogs inside Wan Land Mori cafe in Kowloon City on July 12, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.Boost in patrons
Cathy Chu, who runs the Wan Land café in Tai Kok Tsui and Wan Land Mori café in Kowloon City with her husband, told HKFP that there was an increase in new customers over the weekend and that the ratio between those with dogs and those without a furry friend was roughly 50:50.
She expects business to increase by five to 10 per cent thanks to the new policy.
Pet dogs inside Wan Land Mori cafe in Kowloon City on July 12, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.The implementation of the new scheme has been smooth and the rules were clearly spelt out, she said, but added that customers may need time to familiarise themselves with the policy.
Pet dogs inside Wan Land Mori cafe in Kowloon City on July 12, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.“The policy has clear guidelines and it helps separate customers with different preferences,” she said in Cantonese. “If you don’t like dogs, then [our cafés] may not be for you.”
Pet dogs inside Wan Land Mori cafe in Kowloon City on July 12, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.“But we have always emphasised that… there are a lot of people who do not mind sharing a space with dogs,” she said. “With this clear policy, I think it really helps society to promote pet friendliness.”
English (US) ·