Written by Eb Mills, founder-owner of Moonlight Natural Pet Store in Vancouver.
During a recent trip to Asia, we observed something that would likely surprise many British Columbians, particularly Vancouver pet owners. Dogs and cats were permitted in certain malls and food courts, provided they were kept in strollers or carriers. In Vancouver, that would violate public health rules. Should Vancouver and other B.C. cities reconsider how pets fit into public dining spaces?
A field observation from Taipei: Pets in restaurants and indoor public spaces
Inside these spaces, pets were not allowed near kitchens or food preparation areas, but they were permitted in designated eating sections of some establishments. Pets remained in carriers or strollers and were kept away from food preparation areas. It raised a simple but striking question: Why is this kind of arrangement possible in parts of Asia and Europe but largely prohibited across B.C. cities?
In British Columbia, the B.C. Food Premises Regulation (Division 7) states that operators must not permit live animals on food premises, with limited exceptions such as guide and service animals. In some cases, pets may be permitted in outdoor dining areas if assessed as low risk by an Environmental Health Officer.
In practice, this means most indoor restaurants, food courts, and food preparation areas do not allow pets.
Vancouver Coastal Health enforces these standards across food establishments in British Columbia. In our own inquiry with Vancouver Coastal Health while researching pet café models, we learned that establishments such as dog cafes or cat cafés require separate access points for food service areas and pet-accessible zones.
As of 2026, pets are allowed on outdoor patios in British Columbia including West Vancouver, if the restaurant or brewery chooses to permit them, subject to specific health and safety approvals. Basically, dogs would need to be leashed, controlled, not fed directly from the table and most importantly, only if the restaurant/brewery permits it.
According to the new B.C. provincial guideline for dogs on outdoor patios, this change was because “Members of the public are increasingly requesting that pet dogs be allowed into outdoor dining areas of food service establishments. Other jurisdictions, such as New York City and the State of California, are used as models for B.C. in allowing pet dogs into outdoor dining areas.”
An emerging approach: Countries and cities exploring pet-friendly dining
South Korea
In South Korea, pet access varies by establishment. However, on April 25, 2025, the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced a partial amendment to the enforcement regulations of the Food Sanitation Act allowing pet entry into restaurants under defined conditions.
Hong Kong
In September 2025, Hong Kong proposed amendments to its current Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X), Section 10B, which would allow pets in designated food-eating areas under controlled conditions.
Europe
Across much of Europe, informal norms often allow dogs in cafés and restaurants, particularly in outdoor seating areas. Indoor access varies significantly by country, city, and individual establishment policy.
In Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong, rising pet ownership is driving greater demand for pet-friendly public spaces—including restaurants and cafés. Taiwan offers a striking example. According to the country’s Ministry of Agriculture, as reported by Taiwan News, the dog population grew by 240,000 (19 per cent) between 2021 and 2023, reaching 1.47 million. During the same period, the number of pet cats jumped by 440,000—a 50 per cent increase.
These changes occurred during the COVID-19 period, when pet adoption increased significantly in many countries. Whether this trend has continued at the same pace in Asia post-pandemic remains an open question.
Through the pandemic, the B.C. restaurant and hospitality industry was hit hard by a combination of labour shortages, higher rents and higher input costs.
Canadian restaurants that managed to survive have been battered since 2025 by mainly increasing input costs and to a smaller extent a reduction in the number of international students from visa reductions. With the war in Iran, gas prices have jumped and food inflation are top of mind issues for an industry that operates on thin margins.
Even the 2026 FIFA World Cup has not delivered the demand boost many hotels and restaurants had anticipated. According to the British Columbia Hotel Association, “June hotel occupancy across the broader Vancouver and Lower Mainland market is pacing about nine per cent behind the same period last year.”
We are at an intersection of cultural shifts in attitudes about pets as family and economic headwinds. Since COVID, the B.C. restaurant industry has faced multiple closures and those that have survived have evolved with takeout and other creative ideas.
To be sustainable, the industry requires a new clientele that is local but willing to dine out more frequently instead of cooking food at home. Could pet owners represent an under-served customer segment for some B.C. restaurants?
Granted there are important concerns around contamination, allergies, misbehaving or aggressive pets and lastly, inconsiderate pet owners that any policy would need to address. However, could pet-friendly dining be the shot in the arm for an industry that has still not recovered from COVID-19?
