[Sportschosun Jang Jong-ho] A video showing a pet dog quickly devouring a plate of meat meant for customers at a restaurant in China has sparked controversy.
The restaurant suspended operations for a day, carried out disinfection and retraining for employees, and had to compensate customers.
According to Chinese media outlets including Sina.com, a pet dog secretly ate raw meat that had been placed on a food cart beside a table at a popular barbecue franchise restaurant in Hengyang, Hunan Province, on the 7th. The dog reportedly emptied most of the plate in just a few seconds, while staff failed to notice at the time.
The video spread rapidly on local social media, and users criticized the restaurant, saying its hygiene management was lax and questioning why a pet was allowed inside a regular restaurant. Some even raised the need to restrict pets from commercial facilities.
As the controversy grew, the restaurant suspended business for a day and disinfected the entire store. It also replaced all used tableware and retrained employees on hygiene and customer service.
The restaurant also contacted the visitors individually to explain the situation and said it would cover medical checkup costs if they wanted one. In addition, it decided to enforce an internal rule banning all dogs except guide dogs for the visually impaired.
A netizen who identified themselves as the dog's owner explained in an online post, "I tied the dog to the table leg before going to the restroom, but the leash came loose for a moment," adding, "As soon as I checked what happened, I apologized to the customers and paid for the meal." The person also appealed, "Please refrain from excessive criticism of the restaurant."
The franchise headquarters also acknowledged the incident as a case of poor management and said it would strengthen operating standards to prevent a recurrence.
Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
