Editorial | Let dogs have their day in more Hong Kong parks
- City’s unfriendly policy towards animals is punishing the responsible owners of pets denied access to open public spaces
Imagine the frustration when you go for a stroll in a public park with your son or friends but see a sign saying “No children or friends allowed”. This is the feeling of many dog owners who see their pets as children or friends, but are denied access to open space and other public facilities because of the city’s animal-unfriendly policy.
The recent online debate over how much space should be opened to pets is not new. But it underlines a long-standing issue that has not been given the attention it deserves.
The discussion was sparked by a Twitter post lamenting the narrow passage allocated to pets inside the 4.5-hectare Centenary Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui East. It attracted more than 110,000 views, with most of the comments negative.
While some animal lovers said it was already an improvement, referring to the 200-metre corridor that was created in 2021 for the benefit of residents of nearby Hilton Towers. But others branded the arrangement as “ridiculous”.
The park, which comes under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, is in stark contrast to the West Kowloon Cultural District, where pet owners are almost encouraged to bring their animals along.