Derek Fernandez says mall owners must have local council permission to allow pets, and comply with conditions to ensure public safety and hygiene.
Derek Fernandez, a lawyer, said food handling and health regulations do not allow animals near eateries, adding that animals can carry diseases and that children are known to play on mall floors.
“The prohibition of animals or pets like cats, dogs and other pets has more to do with health-related risks and public safety issues, especially in malls, rather than concerns on race or religion,” he told FMT.
However, pet-friendly malls are not banned outright, he said. “If a mall owner wishes to make their mall pet-friendly, they must apply with the local authorities and comply with conditions to ensure public safety and hygiene,” he said.
On Dec 18, Selangor executive councillor Ng Suee Lim said the ban on pets in shopping malls in the state remains in place, in response to pet-friendly initiatives by some shopping centres.
A similar controversy occurred in Penang, with the Penang Island City Council saying that its representatives had discussions with Gurney Paragon mall over allowing pets, particularly dogs, in the shopping complex.
The council said Gurney Paragon would have to put up “larger and clearer” signs at all entrances and lifts, and also ensure only pets weighing 15kg and below are allowed to enter. These pets must also be kept in a stroller or carrier at all times and shoppers are only allowed to bring their pets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Pet-friendly shopping malls in Selangor include Jaya One, which offers waste disposal stations, dedicated pet toilets and pet-friendly dining areas. Its open-air event space, The Square, regularly hosts pet-centric activities, while various pet-friendly cafés and stores welcome four-legged visitors.
Sunway Velocity Mall has designated pet-friendly areas, including the V-Chill Commune area, while Sunway 163 Mall welcomes pets throughout its common areas, with leashed pets allowed to walk freely on the ground floor. Carriers, strollers or hand-carrying are required for access to other levels.
Common sense, not regulations
However, Azrul Khalib, chief executive of Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, advocated for a more hands-off, “common sense” approach to the matter, saying “not everything needs to be regulated”.
“We need to be reasonable and use common sense to manage such initiatives as pet-friendly malls,” he said, adding pets are already a common sight in public spaces.
“We see cats and dogs often enough in our outdoor eateries, restaurants and places of leisure,” he said, referring to pet-friendly outlets, though he added that some places, such as cinemas, should “obviously” be off limits to pets.
Azrul said religion should not be a barrier, noting that countries such as Turkey, with more than 95% Muslims, have had pet-friendly public spaces for decades for both cats and dogs.
Internationally, approaches to pet friendly malls vary. In the Philippines, some shopping malls allow dogs under strict conditions, including size limits, hygiene requirements such as pet diapers and rules requiring pets to be carried or placed in strollers. Mall managements retain the right to ask owners to remove pets if their animals pose a disturbance or safety risk.
In London, no blanket government regulation requires malls to allow pets. Decisions are made by individual mall operators, while certified assistance dogs are legally permitted in public places under UK law.
Even in pet-friendly malls, individual retailers and food outlets retain the final say on whether animals may enter their premises, largely due to food hygiene considerations. - FMT
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