No additional SFA approvals needed for patrons to dine-in with pets at Outdoor Refreshment Areas from 1 Jan 2025

               With effect from 1 January 2025, retail food businesses no longer need to seek additional approval from SFA to allow patrons to bring pets along for dine-in at Outdoor Refreshment Areas (ORAs) if they are not serving pet food.

2          The move is part of SFA’s regular review of our food safety regulatory framework to ensure that it remains relevant in addressing food safety risks, while enabling a pro-enterprise regulatory environment. There are about 120 such food businesses as of end-2024, and about 40 food businesses are expected to benefit from this move every year.

3             Currently, all retail food businesses must convert their licence to a pet café licence to allow their patrons to bring pets along for dine-in. This applies to food businesses that: (i) intend to serve pet food; and/or (ii) do not serve any pet food and would like to allow patrons to bring their pets along when dining at the ORAs.

4            SFA has assessed that the risk of food safety and zoonotic transmission with the presence of pets at ORAs is low and that the prevailing food safety requirements that apply to retail food businesses are sufficient to mitigate the risk. Nonetheless, retail food businesses should adopt good food safety practices to ensure food safety and a conducive environment for all patrons. More information on the guidelines for retail food businesses intending to allow patrons to bring pets along for dine-in at ORAs are attached at Annex A.

5        Retail food businesses that intend to serve pet food in addition to serving food for human consumption will continue to require a pet café licence from SFA. As the simultaneous handling of human and pet food might create an additional conduit for cross contamination of food, SFA will require such food businesses to put in place additional food safety requirements. These include the segregation of food preparation and storage areas for human and pet food, as well as provision of separate food receptacles for human and pets. For halal-certified premises, pet dogs will continue to not be permitted, including at ORAs - please refer to the conditions on MUIS' HalalSG social media page.

6          The changes with effect from 1 January 2025 are summarised as follows:

Table 1: Summary of Key Changes

7          Food safety is a joint responsibility as food can be contaminated anywhere along the food chain. While SFA continues to be vigilant and works to ensure that regulatory measures are in place and properly enforced, the industry and consumers must also play their part.

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ANNEX A

Guideline for Retail Food Businesses Intending to Allow Patrons to Bring Pets for Dine-in at Outdoor Refreshment Areas (ORAs)

With effect from 1 January 2025, retail food businesses no longer need to seek additional approval from SFA to allow patrons to bring pets along for dine-in at Outdoor Refreshment Areas (ORAs), if they are not serving pet food. Nonetheless, such food businesses are strongly encouraged to observe the following good practices to play their part in ensuring food safety and providing a conducive environment for patrons.

Pets will still not be allowed at hawker centres and their ORAs island-wide. This is in consideration that hawker centres are communal spaces, unlike ORAs of privately-managed food businesses.
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What are ORAs?
ORAs are refreshment areas outside the main structure of buildings or the food premises that are not enclosed, even if under shelter. They must also be accessible without needing to go through the food premises.

How can I better ensure food safety and a conducive environment for my patrons?
Food business operators can adopt the following measures to ensure food safety and provide a conducive environment for patrons: 

• Provide an adequate number of clear signages at ORAs to notify patrons that pets are allowed only within the ORAs. This enables patrons to make an informed choice when deciding to dine at the ORAs, considering their personal preferences and/or medical conditions (e.g. allergies).
• Provide an adequate number of clear signages at ORAs directing patrons to the nearest handwash basin, so that patrons can wash their hands after interacting with pets and before consuming food. Good hygiene practices such as hand washing are crucial in preventing any spread of zoonotic diseases.

• Provide an adequate number of hand sanitisers at ORAs to allow patrons to sanitise their hands after interacting with pets and before consuming food. This is to provide further safeguards against any spread of zoonotic diseases.
  

Can my own pets be kept in my food premises as a food business operator?
Food business operators are not allowed to exhibit their own pets within the food premises without obtaining prior approval from NParks. Doing so would contravene the Animals and Birds Act.