Hong Kong eateries welcome dogs in a step to promote a pet-friendly society

Hong Kong eateries welcome dogs as city relaxes ban 0 seconds of 1 minute, 7 secondsVolume 0% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard ShortcutsEnabledDisabled Shortcuts Open/Close/ or ? Play/PauseSPACE Increase Volume↑ Decrease Volume↓ Seek Forward→ Seek Backward← Captions On/Offc Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf Mute/Unmutem Decrease Caption Size- Increase Caption Size+ or = Seek %0-9 Next Up Cardi B models Robert Wun's 'Childsplay' couture 02:15 00:00 01:07 01:07 More Videos 02:15 Cardi B models Robert Wun's 'Childsplay' couture 00:57 Time capsule buried in Philadelphia with items from around the country as US marks 250th birthday 01:00 Bernie Sanders joins Democrats’ calls for Graham Platner to drop out of Maine Senate race 00:56 Ringo Starr can't quit touring: 'I'm out again' 00:34 Iran for the first time releases video of Khamenei residence after attacks 01:01 Mamdani says Platner should drop out of Maine's Senate race after sexual assault allegation 00:58 'HOPE' director describes daily drinking sessions with Michael Fassbender during filming 00:48 Spain en route to quarterfinals after ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career Close 1 of 6 | It’s a very special dinner time for dogs and their owners in Hong Kong. For the first time in more than 30 years they can go out together to restaurants, thanks to a new policy aimed at promoting the pet economy. (AP video/Alice Fung) 2 of 6 | A dog sits on its owner at a dining table inside the Wan Land Cafe on the first day dogs are legally permitted in restaurants in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei) 3 of 6 | Dogs sit leashed on their owners at a dining table inside the Wan Land Cafe on the first day dogs are legally permitted in restaurants in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei) 4 of 6 | A customer holds his dog inside the Wan Land Cafe on the first day dogs are legally permitted in restaurants in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei) 5 of 6 | Wan Land Cafe owner Kelvin Chan sticks a poster inside the cafe indicates that dogs are legally permitted in dining premises in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei) 6 of 6 | A customer feeds his dog inside the Wan Land Cafe on the first day dogs are legally permitted in restaurants in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei) By Alice Fung Updated 6:32 AM MESZ, July 10, 2026 Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Hong Kong (AP) — Hong Kong dog owners and their four-legged friends have gained new freedoms after the city relaxed a decades-old rule, allowing the pets to join them at eateries. Since 1994, only guide dogs and those performing statutory duties were allowed in restaurants under the city’s food business regulation. But the policy change aimed at promoting a pet-friendly culture kicked in Thursday, covering over 900 approved restaurants in the measure’s first phase. It is the city’s latest step toward building an animal-friendly society. Hong Kong now allows pets on certain ferry routes and some metro trains serving rural areas, and public hospitals have started permitting pet visits for palliative care patients. According to the government, more than 240,000 households in the city keep over 400,000 pet cats and dogs, accounting for about 9% of the city’s households. At Wan Land Cafe, owner Kelvin Chan proudly put up a poster saying his establishment can welcome dogs. Previously, dogs were only allowed in its outdoor area, making it tough for the animals during the hot and humid Hong Kong summer. Chan doesn’t think the new policy will bring a spike in business, but as a dog owner himself, he hopes that it will cultivate a more pet-friendly society. He noted that while dog lovers welcome the change, it might be a challenge for those who are not used to eating out with dogs around. Venezuelan earthquake survivors search for missing pets in an unexpected place: McDonald’s 3 MIN READ A cancer patient’s cats inspired a push for pets in hospice wards 1 MIN READ An animal rescuer cares for pets and livestock stranded by war in southern Lebanon 1 MIN READ He hopes that responsible pet owners in restaurants and other public spaces will eventually help nonpet lovers warm up to the idea and understand that being inclusive of pets is a progressive move. Franco Li, a regular at this cafe, said his Shiba, named Piku, is happy to have embraced a new way of living that allows it to join Li around the dining table and play with other dog friends. “This is such a great step forward for civilization,” Li said, holding Piku in his arms. To prepare for the change, some dog owners have been taking their pets to “dog dining etiquette workshops.” Heyton Lee, a dog trainer for 19 years, was particularly busy ahead of the new measure. His two-hour program that simulated a restaurant setting started with dog owners walking around the restaurant to encourage their pets to stay calm and not get overly-excited when they see their dog friends. Lee also demonstrated some hand signs which are commonly used to instruct dogs to behave. The main goal was to teach dogs to be calm and show them how to take part in human society. For example, helping them understand that when people walk past them, the humans do not intend to kick them, he said. “If a dog is just at home, when it goes out, it could get very nervous. Even if it’s just that people want to touch them, they might not want to let people do that,” he said. Under the new measure, dogs must be kept on a leash not exceeding 1.5 meters (5 feet) that must be held by an adult or tied to a fixture. The dogs should also be kept off tables, and may not consume food directly from reusable human utensils. Dogs considered to be among the “fighting breed” by government standards are not allowed in the establishments at all. Restaurants cannot cook food for the dogs but can offer prepackaged food to the pets. Many eateries have also geared up to welcome their furry customers, with some of them hoping it would help boost their revenues. Old Fung Teahouse, a dim sum restaurant, invested more than 10,000 Hong Kong dollars ($1,276) in its preparation, installing an air purifier and setting up simple partitions to separate an area for tables serving pet owners. It also provides pet strollers and cleaning products. Its operators hope opening up to dogs might bring up to a 15% increase in business. Ma Ke, a tourist from mainland China, was happy with the restaurant’s handling of the new measure. “By separating an area for dogs and their owners, this restaurant is managing the situation well, because it makes it easier for customers who are not that used to being with dogs to accept the situation,” he said.