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| Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Tse Chin-wan (second left), LegcoPanel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene chair Chan Hoi-yan (second right) and vice-chair Yang Wing-kit (first right), visit a permitted restaurant to observe and confer with customers with dogs |
Starting Thursday, July 9, more than 940 registered restaurants allowed their customers to bring in their dogs when they dine.
The first batch of
permitted food premises can be found in the dedicated webpage of the Food and
Environmental Hygiene Department through this link: (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/dog_restaurants/index.html)
All the permitted outlets must display the "Food
Premises Permitted for Dog Entry" signage designated by the FEHD at a
conspicuous place at the main entrance at all times for identification.
Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Tse Chin-wan, visited one of the
permitted premises at the West Kowloon Cultural District this afternoon to
observe how the new measures are being implemented, and was pleased with what
he saw.
"The restaurant has made thorough preparations in terms
of hygiene facilities and seating arrangements, and we can see customers
bringing dogs were co-operative. Everyone was beaming, feeling that this is a
remarkable breakthrough,” Tse said.
He also spent the day conferring with restaurant operators
and customers.
He said he expects the premises to strictly abide by the laws
and licensing conditions, while customers who bring dogs are expected to properly
control their pets while enjoying meals and to respect other customers.
Joining the visit was the Permanent Secretary for Environment
and Ecology (Food), Irene Young; the Director of Food and Environmental
Hygiene, Albert Yuen; and the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Panel on
Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene of the Legislative Council, Chan Hoi-yan
and Yang Wing-kit.
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| A uniform signage must be displayed by the door of all permitted restaurants at all times |
A statement from the FEHD said the vetting and approval
process for the initial quota of 1,000 restaurants
in the first phase had been smooth. But some successful balloting applicants
did not complete the procedures to amend their licenses, so their quotas will
be allocated to waistlisted applicants.
An updated list of approved food premises will be progressively
uploaded to the dedicated webpage after completion of the procedures.
To help restaurant operators and staff adapt to the new
measure, the FEHD has deployed 90 staff to visit each premises. They provided
the persons-in-charge with detailed explanations on the statutory requirements,
licensing conditions and other compliance arrangements.
Over the next month the FEHD team will step up visits to the
permitted premises to observe how the new measure is being implemented, and to
lend a hand to operators if needed.
The FEHD has released earlier the Guidelines and Code of
Practice for the new measure, which cover points to note for restaurant
operators, customers bringing dogs, and those without dogs, for the reference
and guidance of all parties.
