Thailand’s pet industry is booming. According to ttb analytics, the research arm of TMBThanachart Bank (ttb), the pet market in Thailand is expected to be worth 75 billion baht this year, a 12.4% rise from 2023, thanks to the increasing pet ownership in the county and humanization trends.
With the industry’s growth and the rising pet population, a wave of animal cafes and pet-friendly food establishments has surged in every nook and cranny of the country to provide a delightful experience where pet lovers can enjoy the company of their furry friends and mingle with adorable animals.
Even though animal cafes started with domestic animals, many have taken it a step further – some would say too far in fact – by bringing in exotic animals including rabbits, guinea pigs, koi fish, raccoons, owls, meerkats, fennec foxes and caracals, which is cause for concern.
Last month, a café in Chon Buri was ordered to suspend their services after public health officers found that it served food and drinks in an area used for keeping koi fish, citing poor hygiene and health risks.
In response to this, the Department of Health (DoH) together with the Department of Disease Control have urged operators of animal cafes and pet-friendly food establishments to comply with public health regulations and maintain high standards of food safety and hygiene to ensure that animals do not contaminate food.
They have also provided food safety and hygiene guidelines in a bid to ward off diseases that can be transmitted between animals and people and to make food and drinks safe.
Adhering to food hygiene rules and regulations
Dr Thiti Sawangtham, the DoH’s deputy director, warned restaurants that do not prohibit the presence of pets in their establishments to separate the areas for pets and the areas where food is prepared, sold and served to reduce the risk of contamination and zoonotic transmission of diseases.
“Pet hair, fleas or their secretions can get into the food if the areas are not divided. Eating contaminated food can make customers ill and cause injuries,” he said.
He noted that many different types of diseases can be passed from animals to people.
For instance, rabies and bird flu are caused by viruses; tetanus, leptospirosis and rabbit fever are caused by bacteria.
Fungal infections in cats, fungal disease associated with bird droppings, hookworm infections and toxoplasmosis, an infection from feline parasites, can also spread to humans.
Dr Thiti said spaces for animal interaction must be separate from the dining areas as well as areas allocated for food and drinks that are prepared and sold.
The operators must keep animal residents healthy and happy as well as always keep their animal cafes clean and do daily cleaning routines including the sterilization of areas where the animals reside.
They must have food safety measures in place including education about food hygiene, he added.
“It’s imperative for the operators of animal cafes and pet-friendly restaurants to provide training to their staff on how to handle food safely and interact with animals appropriately. Workers must wash their hands with soap after interacting with animals and before preparing any food,” he said.
The operators must educate their customers to wash their hands with soap after touching animals, he added.
Dr Thiti noted that such businesses fall within the scope of “food selling place” according to Public Health Act B.E. 2535 (1992).
The law states that any person who wishes to set up a food selling place with an area exceeding 200 sq. m. shall obtain a licence from the authority.
If such place has an area not exceeding 200 sq. m., the person is required to notify the authority in order to obtain a certificate of notification prior to setting up.
Operators of pet-related business, meanwhile, must hold a license for business detrimental to health.
The café in Chon Buri province that serves food and beverages while allowing customers to interact with koi fish is an example of how owners can be penalized concluded for breaching public health orders.
Investigation found the café, which measures 4x4 meters had koi fish in 15-20cm of water in which customers were soaking their feet.
The public health authority said the food establishment was operating without a permit under the Public Health Act and didn’t meet the 2018 Ministerial Regulation on Hygiene Standards for Food Establishments.
The café also failed to obtain permits for operating a potentially hazardous business involving animals.
The café was ordered to suspend service for seven days, while it applied for a permit to operate a business involving food and beverages and having pets, and the operators were advised to separate areas for dining and for animals and improve food safety and hygiene.
Cute or cruel?
The animal cafes and pet-friendly restaurant trends have spread far and wide, reflected in facilities popping up across the country to cater to the needs of animal lovers and food enthusiasts.
Sentiment toward them is quite positive.
Some people who love animals but cannot keep pets due to housing restrictions and a busy lifestyle said animal cafes provide a relaxing and joyful environment where they can de-stress without the long-term commitments of pet ownership.
Others said visiting cafes that features unusual pets provides a unique way to learn about the exotic creatures.
Some however felt that such businesses abuse the animal’s welfare and animals’ rights to freedom.
Pat, a 57-year-old housewife, who has five Maltese and two Yorkshire terriers, said she once stopped by an animal café in the Ramintra Road area to allow her furry friends to relax after a long journey.
When entering the place, which comes in many zones including seated dining, she found a room where domestic animals like cats and giant dogs are housed.
There were also separate spaces that feature unusual animals including horses, guinea pigs, iguanas, turtles and fennec foxes.
“We were in an enclosed room but it felt, sounded and smelt like a zoo. People were walking around looking at the animals in cages, not sitting for a coffee. I felt uncomfortable with the environment and the smell,” she said.
Pat said animal cafes that showcase wild animals in confined areas where they cannot feel free can put stress on the animals and is harmful to them.
“We should not keep a turtle as a pet. They need space, I mean a lot of space. They need to move and swim around. They have specific needs including clean water to thrive and be healthy,” she said.
However, she was impressed by the attentive services in most pet-friendly restaurants and cafés, and their commitment to creating a wonderful experience where owners can enjoy their food while spending time with their beloved furry friends.
“They have outside tables where we and our fur babies hang out together. Some settings have tissues, papers and poo bags for dogs. They also have a small garden in the back to let the animals walk and relax. That’s awesome,” she said.
Meanwhile, Boat said many eateries and cafes in trendy neighborhoods on Thonglor Road, Pattanakarn Road and Krungthep Kreetha Road are allowing pets.
“They have particular spaces allocated to dogs and cats. They are pretty nice and clean. But it would be great if they could provide a bowl with clean water for pets or have their staff trained on how to interact with them,” he said.
Boat is a dog person but he doesn’t own one. His girlfriend has dogs that he loves and spends most of his time playing with the animals and taking them to nice spots including parks and cafes to unwind and relax.
Oil, 33, who now owns two Scottish Folds, is crazy about animal cafés. She said it offers a unique and enjoyable way to reduce stress and anxiety, while allowing her to observe exotic animals in a controlled environment and gain educational insights.
“I’m a massive fan of cats. I often go to cat cafes where I can interact with different breeds and watch playful kittens. I pet them, play with them, feed them and take selfies with them. It’s fun and relaxing. I once got close to a fennec fox residing in an animal café. It was such a wonderful experience,” she said.
