Brunch with your bichon frise? Some dog owners say pet dining off to ruff start

Dog owners have welcomed Hong Kong’s first wave of pet-friendly restaurants, but some have been disappointed by restrictive rules, confused staff and limited space, with one saying only half of her pet stroller could fit inside the premises. After months of anticipation, the Food and Environment Hygiene Department granted an initial 1,000 permits by lottery in June, and 940 restaurants opened their doors to dogs on July 9. Several businesses pulled out of the scheme days later, saying they needed more time to prepare, while others joined the scheme, taking the total to 971 as of Friday. However, some operators have drawn criticism, with about 20 complaints filed with the department as of Monday. The department also revealed that a restaurant in Tsuen Wan had been prosecuted for allowing in dogs without the required permit, in the first such legal action since the scheme started. Leona Li, who owns a five-year-old male bichon frise, described difficulties booking restaurants on the approved list. She wanted to celebrate the birthday of a family member on the first day of the scheme and contacted Jade Garden in Yuen Long. But she was informed that management would not decide whether to admit dogs until a meeting later that day. She turned to Peking Garden, also in Yuen Long, which accepted her booking. But when she inspected the restaurant on July 8, she found her table was situated just inside a decorative screen, accessible only via two narrow openings blocked by two big flower planters. Although staff promised to remove the flowers the next day to provide access, they initially only wanted Li to put the stroller at the gap, Li said. Ultimately, they said only half of the stroller would be allowed inside, she said. She then decided against eating at the venue. When an SCMP reporter called Peking Garden on Thursday, staff said the business was “not ready” to welcome dogs. Maxim’s Chinese Cuisine, which owns the two restaurants, said that it supported the government’s initiative and was preparing for five of its locations to take part, including Yuen Long’s Peking Garden and Jade Garden. “We understand the customer’s concerns,” the company said. “While the policy officially took effect on that date, participating restaurants still need to complete the necessary preparatory work, including venue-specific arrangements, staff briefing and operational protocols, before the policy can be fully implemented.” Li’s visit to Choubo Kissaten in Tsim Sha Tsui produced a similar result. Pet seating had been cordoned off with retractable belt barriers in the mall outside the restaurant, but staff stopped her from bringing her stroller inside the area. She said the staff explained her dog could not touch the table, and the belt barrier ended up jammed in the middle of the stroller. However, when an SCMP reporter called the restaurant on Friday, it said that pet strollers were allowed inside, as long as they met the government’s guidelines. Li said: “Dog owners just want the restaurant to let the dog stay by our side while we eat.” She said she normally brought water and treats for her dog and expected nothing for the pet from the kitchen. Another dog owner, Gionnie Wong, said that she had visited four or five pet-friendly restaurants and dessert shops, but staff were unfamiliar with the government’s regulations. Wong said that a server told her to hold her dog’s leash at all times throughout the meal, even though the pet remained in its stroller. According to the department’s guidelines, a dog in a carrier or stroller should be leashed at all times, but the lead can be either held by an adult or tied to a fixture, which the server did not mention. “I think restaurant owners also have a responsibility to brief their staff properly,” Wong said. The layout of several restaurants, particularly smaller shops such as dessert parlours, left little room to accommodate a dog alongside narrow aisles and furniture, she added. Wong suggested that the government check whether restaurants had enough space to accommodate dogs before issuing the permits. She said that the public’s attitude towards dogs and understanding of how they behaved had not caught up with the scheme itself. “I think there’s still a gap between dog owners and the public in their expectations, and people’s understanding of dogs is stuck in the past,” she said. Wong pointed to online comments about some village dogs roaming free and attacking people, but cautioned those incidents might have happened years ago. Many owners now treated their dogs like family, she said. Despite the initial friction, Wong intends to continue dining out with her dog, citing the convenience of eating after a walk rather than returning home first. “Some restaurants are really pet-friendly, and we cannot ignore those who have prepared properly,” she said. Click here for a list of food premises with dog-entry permits.

Brunch with your bichon frise? Some dog owners say pet dining off to ruff start

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Residents whose pets are part of their daily routine can now take them to more than 900 restaurants, but not all are welcoming, some owners say

Residents whose pets are part of their daily routine can now take them to more than 900 restaurants, but not all are welcoming, some owners say