For 32-year-old Gloria Kwan, getting around Hong Kong with her 1½-year-old dog, Potato, is a costly affair.
“It costs us more than HK$100 [US$13] per trip to travel in a taxi that allows pets if we want to venture outside our neighbourhood of Ma On Shan,” she said during one such trip with Potato to The Mills, a pet-friendly shopping centre in Tsuen Wan.
Kwan, who works as a counsellor, said she cherished the opportunities to get the Maltese out of the flat.
“I can only spend time with him on the weekends so I want to bring him out together with me instead of leaving him at home because he’s family to me,” she said.
Kwan is one of the thousands of owners hoping to see more pet-friendly measures.
While some retailers have become increasingly more accepting, local laws and societal attitudes remain challenging for animal-lovers looking to explore the city with their furry friends.
