The new measure allowing dogs into restaurants came into effect last Thursday (July 9). Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (FEHD) Albert Yuen said the first weekend of implementation went largely smoothly, describing the atmosphere as rational and cooperative. He said the department had received about 20 complaints, mainly regarding minor violations such as leash length and where dogs were positioned, and that the department would follow up on these cases.
Speaking on a radio programme today (July 13), Yuen said some approved restaurants had chosen to opt out, though the number was not large. He said the participation rate among restaurants remained stable, adding that it was understandable that some establishments made their own choices based on their circumstances, while others needed time to adapt operationally — such as staffing arrangements, venue segregation, and customer responses. He noted that the new measure represented a significant change from longstanding practices, and that if some restaurants found themselves unprepared during implementation, their temporary withdrawal was a responsible decision.
Yuen said the department's dedicated team of about 90 officers had conducted around 2,300 inspections over the past weekend, covering both approved establishments and about 400 unapproved ones. The first month is considered an adjustment period, with the department taking a primarily advisory approach — starting with warnings before enforcement action. However, he emphasised that the adjustment period does not mean relaxed supervision, and that the department would take decisive enforcement action if environmental hygiene or food safety was affected.
He added that if the first phase of the measure runs smoothly, the department expects to consider launching a second phase of applications in about six months' time. The arrangements for the second phase, including the scale and details of applications, would be assessed based on the operation of the first phase. The department would adopt a prudent and gradual approach to implementation.
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