‘Pet-friendly’ law not so user-friendly as cafe owners, customers face strict rules
Published: 10 Mar. 2026, 07:00
Updated: 10 Mar. 2026, 16:06
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- WOO JI-WON
- [email protected]
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![Police were dispatched to a dog cafe owned by Lee Sang-ah on March 1, the day the revised Food Sanitation Act guidelines took effect, after a customer refused to comply with the rules. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/10/3e43c0f7-70b2-4f93-9ad3-b23a5240a2ed.jpg)
Police were dispatched to a dog cafe owned by Lee Sang-ah on March 1, the day the revised Food Sanitation Act guidelines took effect, after a customer refused to comply with the rules. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
On the first day that a revised regulation under the Food Sanitation Act took effect, allowing pets inside restaurants and cafes, a Gyeonggi-based cafe owner found herself calling the police.
Lee Sang-ah said the incident unfolded on March 1 after a customer became frustrated with a stipulation under the new law. Dog cafes like Lee's typically feature large, open indoor and outdoor spaces with tables lining the walls, enabling dogs to roam freely — offering respite from the limited space of apartments that dominate Korea's housing market.
The customer came to the cafe with two dogs. After checking proof of vaccination — a new requirement under the revision — a cafe employee explained the new guidelines, including one that requires businesses to ensure pets cannot move freely inside restaurants and cafes by providing at least one of the following: a designated chair for pets, a cage or carrier, a separate designated space for pets or a device that can secure a pet’s leash or harness.
As the cafe had prepared strollers, the customer was asked to place the dogs inside one while indoors. The customer, however, expressed frustration and refused when Lee asked her to do so.
Lee eventually placed the dogs in the stroller herself to comply with the rules. Tension escalated, and police were eventually called when the situation did not appear likely to calm down.
![A dog cafe owned by Lee Sang-ah has prepared dog strollers so customers can place their pets in them while inside the cafe. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/10/48f99ee9-a8b9-49e2-8738-2db2e4cf2bce.jpg)
A dog cafe owned by Lee Sang-ah has prepared dog strollers so customers can place their pets in them while inside the cafe. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
"But I don't think she was wrong. The law is wrong," Lee said.
The government revised the Food Sanitation Act to expand restaurant access for customers with pets, as roughly one in three households in Korea now owns a pet, only to find out that the inconvenience it causes far outweighs the benefits.
![A petition was posted on the National Assembly’s petition platform on March 5. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/10/0f416a89-8f5e-49d1-b755-6c39ea4cdda1.jpg)
A petition was posted on the National Assembly’s petition platform on March 5. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Before the revision, animals were — in principle — not allowed inside establishments serving food, though many pet-friendly cafes and restaurants operated under loose regulations in a legal gray area.
Under the revised act, however, pets are allowed to enter as long as a long list of requirements is met: Food must be covered when served. Pets must remain in a carrier or stroller indoors and cannot roam freely. Kitchens and food preparation areas must be physically separated from dining spaces.
Staff must also check vaccination records at the entrance, and there must also be enough space between tables to ensure that pets do not come into contact with customers without pets.
A petition on the National Assembly’s public petition platform calling for the standards to be reconsidered and clearer guidelines to be established had gathered 1,460 signatures as of Sunday, three days after it was posted.
Criticism has also spread on social media. "It's frustrating that only dogs with vaccination records can be admitted," a Threads user wrote on Tuesday, noting that some dogs cannot receive vaccines due to reasons such as old age.
For many small cafes, meeting the new requirements can be costly or impractical.
![A cafe announces limits on pet entry on Instagram following the implementation of revised Food Sanitation Act guidelines. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/10/bf2760d8-bd65-477e-aa80-b775fbf6913c.jpg)
A cafe announces limits on pet entry on Instagram following the implementation of revised Food Sanitation Act guidelines. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
As a result, some establishments that once welcomed pets are now reversing course. Announcements of cafes turning into "no pet" zones could be seen across social media.
The owner of a once-pet-friendly restaurant, who asked to remain anonymous out of concern about possible backlash, also closed its door to pets as of March 1, citing the difficulty of checking vaccination records and providing a separate space or partition for dogs as required under the revised guidelines.
“It’s difficult to check all vaccination records when the store is busy,” the owner said. “There is also the possibility of forged documents. This law could place the entire burden of responsibility on business owners."
The requirement to create separate spaces for dogs is also difficult to implement structurally, the owner said. “In the food service industry, interiors are carefully designed in advance to maximize efficiency, including staff movement and the use of carts. Installing new structures or partitions afterward is much more difficult than people might think.”
“If the policy truly aimed to create a society where pets and people can co-exist, it should have taken into greater account the perspectives of pet owners, those who oppose pets in such spaces and the practical realities faced by business operators.”
![A dog is seen waiting outside a cafe on March 1, the day revised Food Sanitation Act guidelines took effect. The caption on the Instagram post reads, “A dog after being banned from cafes as of March 1.” [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/10/cdf95963-6c61-40ed-926b-a4a5b512504e.jpg)
A dog is seen waiting outside a cafe on March 1, the day revised Food Sanitation Act guidelines took effect. The caption on the Instagram post reads, “A dog after being banned from cafes as of March 1.” [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Cafe owner Lee said the rules have affected business.
"Sales have dropped by more than half," Lee said. "More than half of the customers who come simply leave because the dogs have to stay constrained inside."
The regulation also fails to reflect differences between types of cafes, she said.
"A dog cafe and a regular cafe that allows dogs are different," she said. "In a standard cafe, people sit and eat while their dogs stay beside them. But at a dog cafe, people come so their dogs can run around and play."
"Some customers say that if they can't eat with their dogs here or there, they might as well go to a park and eat instant noodles from a convenience store," Lee said.
The concept of separate rules for dog cafes was dismissed by an official at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in a phone call with Korea JoongAng Daily. Even if a cafe primarily functions as a space where dogs can roam while customers have coffee, it must comply with hygiene and safety regulations if food is being served, the official said.
The new guidelines also originally failed to specify detailed vaccination requirements, which created confusion among restaurant and cafe owners. The rule simply stated that operators must check for proof of vaccination, without mentioning which kind.
The ministry updated the requirement as of Thursday, with the official confirming that as long as a dog has received a rabies shot, regardless of when it was administered, entry is permitted.
![No dogs sign in orange wall background [GETTY IMAGES BANK]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/10/fb964b6f-1d1d-462d-a16b-e8ef89d70f57.jpg)
No dogs sign in orange wall background [GETTY IMAGES BANK]
The ministry's spokesperson said authorities are reviewing the issues raised and are planning to listen to various opinions.
"We plan to listen to the opinions of both consumers and businesses and take into account feedback from the field as we work to ensure the system is implemented smoothly," the spokesperson said.
BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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