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Martin Wong

Popular locale fights law prohibiting dogs in eateries
Despite the popularity of unofficial pet cafes, one shop that tried to go legal has been denied a licence because it allowed dogs on to its premises.
The decision has caused an outcry from Hong Kong's pet-loving public.
Pets Central chairman Peter de Krassel said it was unreasonable to ban only dogs from food premises when other pets were allowed. He called on the government to change the law.
Although there are certain cafes that have resident animals or turn a blind eye to any customer arriving with their pooch-prams or moggies, Pet Parents in North Point has been hounded out of business.
The cafe, owned by Pets Central, opened in October last year. However, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department denied the cafe a licence and prosecuted it for operating an illegal pet cafe.
The owners appealed, but the Licensing Appeals Board rejected the appeal last month.
Mr de Krassel pointed out that rule 10B of the Food Business Regulations, which states 'No person shall bring any dog onto a food premises', had no relevance in 21st century Hong Kong.
He pointed out that the government regulatory body did not mind if there were birds in a cafe, even when everyone was concerned about bird flu, but complained about dogs.
He said the business idea was to have a place for pets and their owners to enjoy their cappuccinos and puppucinos.
The cafe was a one-stop pet care centre with the front being the coffee shop and the back a veterinary clinic.
'If we were cooking there, that's where we need a licence,' Mr de Krassel said.
He stressed the only items produced in the cafe were coffee and tea.
'So even if I'm making hot water, that makes it illegal.' he said. 'That's how stupid the law is.'
The cafe will be closed and the space converted to a retail area while the owners await the outcome of their appeal to the Municipal Services Appeals Board.
'In the meantime we are fighting  to change the law, so we'll see if they can give us what we want,' he said.
In response, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said that, as a developed society, Hong Kong had legislation which bans animals from being on any premises having food. The maximum penalty for such an offence would be HK$10,000, imprisonment for three months and an additional fine of HK$300 for each day.
The spokesman added that the law forbade dogs in any place serving food unless it was a guide for a blind person or was a dog related to law enforcement.
Randy Au Fung-lin, chairwoman of the Green Animals Education Foundation urged a review of the law. 'I understand that back in the '60s and '70s there was a concern about rabies, but now it would be quite rare  even in street dogs,' she said.



Pet cafe hounded out of business