Homeowners at Kai Yan Court in Hong Kong are stuck with legal snag. Their cafe,Marz Menu, got disqualified from pet-friendly licensing despite winning ballot. Housing Department said Thursday estate's deed of mutual covenant (DMC) needs change to allow dogs,currently banned.
Cafe's pet-friendly license application was turned down after review showed dogs banned from walkway outside restaurant. This area under Housing Department's control,making cafe's dog-friendly plans tricky. Licensing scheme from Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) launches July 9.
In a statement to South China Morning Post,Housing Department said existing DMC clearly bans dogs from being carried or kept anywhere in estate. This rule makes it tough for any restaurant there to qualify as pet-friendly unless homeowners agree to change DMC.
Department showed readiness to help Kai Yan Court owners through necessary steps to amend DMC. If homeowners choose to pursue this change,Marz Menu and maybe others could start welcoming pets.
With more people wanting dog-friendly spots,what happens here could affect similar efforts in other subsidized estates across Hong Kong…
