No hotpot: Hong Kong dog-friendly restaurants face menu and layout limits

Food and Environmental Hygiene Department says its officers will patrol licensed premises every day in first month after issuing permits

Hong Kong restaurants applying for a licence that allows dogs to enter their premises will have to remove hotpot from their menus or change their eatery layouts to comply with regulations and ensure food and pet safety, authorities have said.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) also said on Monday that officers would patrol the 1,000 licensed premises every day in the first month to inspect and understand their operations, provide advice and ensure compliance with licensing conditions.

The department held the first in a series of public briefings for operators before applications open on May 18, explaining the measures of the new licence, which takes effect in mid-July.

Restaurants larger than 20 square metres (215 square feet) are eligible to apply, but applications from hotpot, teppanyaki and barbecue restaurants, including Korean-style establishments, will not be accepted for safety reasons.

Under the policy, dogs must be kept on leads no longer than 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) and under the control of an adult. Pets must also be kept at least 1.5 metres away from food preparation areas, including bar counters and salad bars.

The department added that licensed restaurants cannot cook or heat food, such as lamb casserole served on a gas stove, or allow dogs to use utensils intended for customers.