According to a recent announcement by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), starting from Jan 1, 2025, restaurants looking to permit pets in their outdoor dining spaces will no longer require additional approval if they are not serving pet food. The SFA stated that after assessing the situation, they find that the risk of food safety and zoonotic transmission with pets in outdoor refreshment areas is low. The agency emphasized that existing food safety regulations applicable to retail food businesses are adequate in mitigating any potential risks.
The statement by the SFA reads: “SFA has assessed that the risk of food safety and zoonotic transmission with the presence of pets at outdoor refreshment areas is low and that the prevailing food safety requirements that apply to retail food businesses are sufficient to mitigate the risk.”
Under these new regulations, all retail food establishments will no longer need to convert their license to a pet cafe license to allow customers to dine with their pets in outdoor areas. Approximately 40 food businesses are expected to benefit from this eased process each year, out of the estimated 120 establishments currently holding pet cafe licenses.
While restaurants that serve pet food alongside human food will still require a pet cafe license, those allowing pets in outdoor dining areas without providing pet food will need to follow specific guidelines. These guidelines include the provision of clear signage to inform patrons of the presence of pets in the dining area, allowing them to make an informed decision about dining in those spaces.
However, it is important to note that pets are still prohibited in hawker centers and their outdoor refreshment areas. The SFA justifies this restriction by stating: “This is in consideration that hawker centers are communal spaces, unlike outdoor refreshment areas of privately managed food businesses.”
