it was not only denied, but the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department took it one step further and prosecuted them for operating an illegal pet café. Now there is a public outcry against the decision, and many are calling for the government to change the archaic law.

The café, owned by Pets Central, opened in October last year, and has been welcomed by the pet-loving public. The business served tea and coffee, with food supplied by nearby eateries. It is now closed, and the space is being used as a retail area as the owners await the outcome of their appeal to the Municipal Services Appeals Board.

"In the meantime we are fighting to change the law, so we'll see if they can give us what we want," said Peter de Krassel, chairman of Pets Central.

The law under dispute is 10B of the Food Business Regulations, which states “No person shall bring any dog onto a food premises.” The maximum penalty for such an offence would be HK$10,000, imprisonment for three months and an additional fine of HK$300 for each day. Mr de Krassel argues that the law came about decades ago when rabies was a problem, and has no relevance in 21^st century Hong Kong.

Randy Au Fung-lin, chairwoman of the Green Animals Education Foundation, agrees with Mr de Krassel. "I understand that back in the '60s and '70s there was a concern about rabies, but now it would be quite rare even in street dogs," she said.

The business was created so pets and their owners could enjoy their cappuccinos and puppucinos. It was a one-stop pet care centre, with the front being a café, and the back a veterinary clinic.

One of the many customers disappointed by the café’s closer is Tammie Mao Suk-sum, who used the space for her shitzu-poodle to socialize, saying, “It's much harder to raise pets in Hong Kong because flats are so tiny, and there aren't many pet-friendly parks.”

Mr de Krassel is now circulating a petition and plans to engage lawmakers to bring the issue to the Legislative Council at next year’s session.