Dog influencers Eggroll and Mocha @egg_roll328 (Photo courtesy of SPCA)

By Edith Terry

Dating apps to find your ideal pet companion? Pet influencers who are sought after by pet food brands and more, like @egg_roll328, who has over 180,000 followers on Instagram, or @siu9.2020, with 998,000 followers. Or Google’s original Top Dog, Yoshka, who was the first to visit the café at Google’s Mountain View campus in 2011. Yoshka inspired the Internet giant’s Doogler group, employees who bring their dogs to work, which sparks human interaction and boosts morale. It’s all happening in Hong Kong, and the SPCA (HK) has played a key role in making Hong Kong a more pet-friendly place. Dr. Fiona Woodhouse, deputy director of welfare, and Community Director Jenmon Yuen-Jenkins share their thoughts as the Hong Kong government begins to ease some of its restrictions on pets in public places.

Although some would say Hong Kong is no paradise for pets, due to its enormous human congestion, pets make life worthwhile to just under 10% of Hong Kong households. 

With American Thanksgiving coming up, spare a moment to be grateful for the animals in your household. The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong) will be there ahead of you, with a celebration of ‘Pupsgiving’. 

Hong Kong’s pet economy expands, although it’s not quite a paradise for pets – yet  

First – a dose of reality. Mong Kok, whose name means “Busy Corner” is cited as the densest urban district on earth by the Guinness Book of World Records, with 130,000 people per sq km. “No dogs allowed” signs are ubiquitous in public parks. The 45% of Hong Kong’s 7.5 million people who live in public housing, rented or owned, are not allowed to keep dogs other than guide dogs or by special permission, although cats and other small pets are allowed – birds need special permission, too. 

In his 2025 policy address on September 17, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu gave a big boost to Hong Kong’s pet economy by introducing a consultation to allow dogs in licensed restaurants – where they have been banned since 1994, other than police dogs and guide dogs. 

With the first licenses likely to be granted by mid-2026, after consultation on specific rules, the new legislation goes with the flow of a Hong Kong in which the ‘pet economy’ is changing the way business thinks about pet food, grooming, hygiene (think cat litter boxes and poo bags), pet gear and the rapidly-unfolding universe of pet tech (think GPS dog collars, self-cleaning, remotely controlled cat litter boxes and food and water dispensers). 

The Hong Kong market for pet cats alone is worth HK$2.4 billion (US$305.7 million) and grew by 9% year over year, according to the organizers of Hong Kong Cat Expo 2025. The annual cost of keeping a dog can be up to HK$680,000, according to OneDegree, one of four licensed virtual insurers in Hong Kong. Its high-end pet insurance policies cost around HK$5,000, and in 2024, it posted revenue of HK$240 million, before it even reached its fifth anniversary. Its customer pool had grown by 17 times. 

Hong Kongers spend twice as much per (human) capita on pet care as pet owners in Japan and Taiwan, which both statistically have higher numbers of pets per household than Hong Kong. According to the US International Trade Administration, pet care spending was about US$140 per capita in 2022, not only on premium pet food but on nutritional supplements, grooming, and pet supplies of all kinds.

The SPCA’s big day out

Enter the not-for-profit SPCA HK, one of the earliest animal welfare organizations in Asia, modeled after the original Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the London-based organization founded in 1824. Hong Kong’s SPCA was set up in 1903 by volunteers and officially registered in 1921. Volunteers continue to play a key role, in advocacy, fund-raising and education. The organization spent HK$109.8 million on its core animal welfare services in 2023-2024, according to its latest annual report, for the fiscal year ending in March 2024. It ran a deficit of HK$24.3 million, 18.7% of revenue of HK$129.7 million.

Part of the reason for the deficit was a major expansion of infrastructure, with its new SPCA Jockey Club Centennial Center in Tsing Yi, which opened in March 2024. While funded by a HK$300 million grant from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the expansion in operations also means higher spending, as the 93,000 sq ft facility adds surgical equipment and builds outreach programs in its four classrooms and Hong Kong’s first-ever immersive animal welfare classroom.

“Where’s Wags?,” a mural in the new Tsing Yi coffee shop by Hong Kong artist Sophia Hotung is a mind-teaser asking viewers to identify 103 illustrations that make Hong Kong a “pet inclusive” society – another new concept that includes things that your pets would recognize instantly, like balls of yarn and tennis balls, or dog and cat cones (from the pets’ perspectives). It’s amazing how many elements there are to a pet-inclusive society, from Qing dynasty (don’t ask me) hats to snakes, volunteer dog walkers and scratching poles, in a lighthearted take-off from the “Where’s Wally” series of children’s books by English illustrator Martin Handford.

Ahead of the KMB Pet Bus launch last summer, 400 dogs with their owners came through the Tsing Yi center, in a pet-friendly shuttle. The center’s rooftop pet garden is 6,400 sq ft, a one-of-a-kind facility. For ‘Pupsgiving’, Jenmon Jenkins, SPCA (HK)’s community director, is aiming to organize an even larger assembly of dogs than the last alumni event, with a family photo “to celebrate why humans are grateful for animals and how animals are grateful for their humans,” she says. 

From Dooglers to shopping malls – corporates are beginning to accept that dogs are not a threat

Jenkins describes herself on LinkedIn as a “brand and community builder, rescue dog mom and wine educator.” With a degree from the London School of Economics and a diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, the last step towards the Master of Wine qualification, Jenkins has been CEO, managing director or partner at creative agencies ranging from Leo Burnett and Ogilvy & Mather to Spring Studios in London, managing the global launch of Huawei’s P10 smart phone in 2017 and Breitling’s “Cinema Squad” campaign for its premier watches, starring Brad Pitt, Daniel Wu, Adam Driver and Charlize Theron. 

At SPCA (HK) for the last three years, Jenkins has been spearheading a series of innovative programs aimed at corporate engagement not only to raise money – although that is critical – but also to help build pet inclusivity into Hong Kong’s expanding pet economy.

Participants range from companies like Google, which are already invested in their pet-friendly workplace, to Hang Seng Bank and Nan Fung Group. Nan Fung Group shopping malls at The Mills in Tsuen Wan allow dogs in most common areas and many dogs and restaurants, as long as the dogs are on a leash, or at its AIRSIDE mall, in a stroller. Hang Seng Bank launched its first pet friendly branch in 2023, at its Hysan Avenue Branch, after finding that 25% of its customers in a survey had cats or dogs. They also trained staff of the MTR ahead of the Light Rail pilot pet-friendly run with their Inspectorate and Behavioral and Training teams. 

At the time, Hang Seng Bank’s head of retail distribution Theodore Mak said: “With pet ownership becoming common in Hong Kong in recent years, we recognized a growing need to accommodate customers who wish to bring their four-legged companions along as they go about their day-to-day activities.” After the pilot, the bank offered a second pet friendly branch in Kowloon, at Festival Walk, originally developed by Swire Properties and now owned by a Singapore based real estate investment trust, Mapletree. Both branches offer designated waiting areas, pet waste bins, and air purifiers. 

“With pets, you want to take them somewhere,” says Jenkins. She says that the owners of shopping malls frequently ask the SPCA to hold adoption and fundraising events to attract foot (and paw) traffic. It might never have worked without the pandemic and Hong Kong’s economic slowdown, which has put pressure on the real estate and restaurant sector to find new ways to attract business.  

“We became a headline by default under this economy, which is what I wanted to build on,” says Jenkins. “In a nutshell, there’s a welfare angle and a generational angle, but also a genuine desire to take your pet to go somewhere in this very compact city.” Jenkins leads a pet consultancy team together with Dr. Fiona Woodhouse, deputy director of welfare, collaborating with the MTR issues on signage and other details that make it clear and easy for people to follow. “Essentially, we want a harmonious, inclusive city. We don’t want people who are allergic or have phobias to come across pets, or if they do, they can take an alternative route.”

Jenkins, Woodhouse and their team have also helped train the frontline staff of Hang Seng Bank, helping staff with how to deal with customers who might be frightened of cats or dogs. “As an employer, you have a responsibility to set them up for success and reassure them that you have a good policy in place,” says Woodhouse. Co-working spaces have also looked to the SPCA for advice. Safety and hygiene are at the top of everybody’s list, and no one is more focused on dog hygiene than their owners. “Hong Kong dog owners are obsessed with hygiene,” Woodhouse says.

Pet influencers

It’s almost inevitable that Hong Kong’s pet economy would catch up with social media. “One trend we’ve observed is that a lot of pets have Instagram accounts and are pet influencers,” says Jenkins. “Brands actually pay them to advertise their brands, whether it’s treats or accessories, bandanas or anything. Often, we see them going out with their owners to various places for photo opportunities. We have our own pet volunteer program. They don’t advertise product, per se, but they do help champion our animal welfare messages on our Instagram channel, and sometimes at events as well.” The SPCA’s Adoption Date app, launched in 2024, like human dating apps, allows users to swipe to see the profile of animals they might adopt, including small animals, cats and dogs.

The SPCA has also been organizing fundraising cocktail events for the last two years, in their seventh edition currently of “Drinks for a Paws,”as well as pet-friendly cinema experiences. Wooftop Pup-up & Movie at the Hive, a co-working space in Lai Chi Kok, invited a maximum of two humans and one dog per entry in 2024. Subsequently Emperor Cinema at the Lohas MTR Mall in September 2024 had its own pet-friendly film event. Says Jenkins: “We’re trying to be as creative as possible with our outreach so that we can tap into different interest groups.”

Corporate engagement fits neatly into the Corporate Social Responsibility programs of multinationals, ranging from Bloomberg to Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Citibank and Google. With the new Tsing Yi center and its seminar rooms and “pet balcony” overlooking Victoria Harbor, the location is ideal for the SPCA’s talk, tour, and upcycling making pet toys. It recently was the venue for the largest group so far, 100 employees from aircraft engineering firm HAESL. 

Pet-friendly restaurants and their lessons

The government’s nod to pet inclusiveness by licensing of dog-friendly restaurants is still untested. There is likely to be a quota on the number of restaurants and other restrictions. For the SPCA, it’s a victory, no matter how belated, another step along the way to assigning value where it’s merited, to the pet companions who play an increasingly important role in people’s lives.

“We’ve been lobbying this for many years,” says Woodhouse. A veteran of the organization since 1993, serving as a guinea pig monitor in primary school was the first step for Woodhouse, along the way to a veterinary degree from the University of Cambridge and a masters in Veterinary Public Health and Management from University of Sydney.

“We think it goes hand in hand with increased access for dogs to open public space,” says Woodhouse. “We’re always saying, if you’re going for a walk with your dog, it would be great to be able to grab a cup of coffee and sit down while you’re on your walk, as opposed to not being able to get your coffee because you can’t go inside the premises with your dog. Finally, they’ve been listening to us over the past ten years or so.” 

“And with increasing pet access, people are aware that this can happen without too much conflict. And there are certain food and beverage providers that have seating for dog or cat owners not in the restaurant areas, but where people can pick up their food and sit out. And people are starting to want and ask for that for themselves.”

The SPCA (HK) is engaging with the government on the consultations, hoping to facilitate the process going forward. “Elsewhere in the world, at least in the United Kingdom and in France, you don’t need a specific license. It’s the business’s choice whether to let pets in or not, with sensible restrictions. The animal can sit with you in the dining area, but it can’t go into the kitchen or the food storage room or some area where food is being prepared,” says Woodhouse. 

“If you’re in the restaurant, they shouldn’t be intrusive. Ideally, they should be on the floor, not sitting on a chair or dining from the table. But we’re not sure what rules will come into play, and in Hong Kong, people do like to have their animals next to them when they’re eating food, so that’s going to be a challenge. But often they’re in strollers. It should be up to each restaurant to set their own rules they are comfortable with as long as they are within any overall conditions set by the government.  Dog owners need to respect the business owners’ decisions,” Woodhouse adds.

Restrictions on dog ownership in public housing

For even longer, SPCA (HK) has also been advocating against the restrictions on pet ownership in public housing. The government has reaffirmed the policy several times, although dogs that were in the public housing estates before 2003 were grandfathered in. By 2025, the last time the policy was reviewed, the pet dogs that had been allowed to stay were all dead. About 1,700 service dogs were allowed by the Housing Authority as of December 2024. The penalty for more than 16 points (five points each instance for illegal pets) is termination of tenancy. “We have no plan to further relax the existing policy,” Winnie Ho, the Secretary for Housing told Legco last April. 

Woodhouse argues that size is not the issue when it comes to keeping dogs in public housing, or any housing. Singapore, where 80% of the population lives in public housing, allows households to keep one dog per Housing & Development Board apartment, on the list of 62 approved small breeds. Under Singapore’s Project Adore (ADOption and REhoming of dogs), mongrels up to a shoulder height of 55 cm can be adopted, a policy that Woodhouse says was developed to contend with the number of mixed breed dogs in the city state that were in need of a home. 

“They allow people to have a mixed breed dog, as long as it’s local, and not massive. We bring this up, and say, look, this is a good program,” says Woodhouse. “We should think about doing it in Hong Kong. First, allowing dogs in public housing. And then, secondarily, can we think about placing Hong Kong mongrels, the tong gau dogs, as a preference, enabling them to find a place in a home.” 

Like Singapore, although without the government support, the SPCA has been advocating re-homing mongrels for years, partnering with the lifestyle brand G.O.D. in 2008, which helped design a special tong gau adoption center designed to look like a traditional Hong Kong tenement building or tong lau, which also happens to be an iconic element in G.O.D.’s graphic designs for clothing, bags and home furnishings. 

“That was a concerted effort by us to drive people to adopting mongrels, and not thinking of them as second-class,” says Woodhouse. “A younger segment of the population with a more active lifestyle wants a dog to go hiking with. They may think a small, fluffy pedigree dog might not cope as well. And there are a lot of lifestyle choices here, and people really do integrate them in their lives, which is why we’ve had a drive about pet inclusivity, focusing on public access.” 

Access for pets on public transport

They have tackled transport, with the MTR launching a scheme in September to allow pets in carriers on its light rail network, after a trial in May, with some ferries increasing the number of vessels that allow pets. And conspicuous throughways between MTR stations and the ferries, like the IFC Mall in Central, have quietly begun allowing leashed dogs on the main conduit of the first floor, linking to foot bridges to the Central Ferry Piers. The West Kowloon Cultural District revamped a section near its West Gate entrance as the WestK Pet Club last April, with a lawn zone with climbing equipment, a runway zone for more leisurely strolls, and in October during the Mid-Autumn festival, a “pawrade.” 

Says Woodhouse: “People can manage to have larger dogs so they don’t feel so restricted, because it’s easier to live with a larger dog in an urban environment if you can go to the park, walk through a promenade and take your dog for a walk. You don’t have to get in a taxi to go to a country park. I think that’s big step forward.”

It’s not all about dogs

It’s not all about dogs. The SPCA’s Cat Colony Care program, initiated in 2000, has seen more than 86,000 street cats desexed, leading to a significant decline in cat euthanasia. In August, the SPCA x HKJC SumMEOW Festival and conference staged workshops and a Cat Conference celebrating the 25^thanniversary of the Cat Colony Care program. 

Dogs tend to get the limelight in part because cats, by and large, don’t insist on doing their business outdoors. A whole industry has grown up around high-tech, remote-controlled and self-cleaning cat litter boxes, not to mention time-dispensed feeders, and cats fit easily into the small footprints of Hong Kong apartments. Not to mention, purring doesn’t create noise problems. Dog people and cat people are often self-identified, sometimes self-righteous, and see themselves as opposites. 

The SPCA, of course, will have none of that, and advocates for both, as well as other creatures that enrich human life by their loving presence. 

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