Hong Kong’s booming animal cafe scene has every experience from the many classic cat cafes to the quirky hedgehog diner in Kowloon. Recently, a new animal cafe hit the scene catering to Hong Kong’s love for the playful dog breed: Shiba Inus!
Pet Shiba Inus are not difficult to spot in Hong Kong. The dog breed gained popularity in Hong Kong due to its optimal medium size for cramped Hong Kong apartments and its playful, energetic disposition. One pack of Shibas was even considered being local celebrities. The We5 is a famously cute pack of 5 Shiba Inus that can be seen walking around Sheung Wan with their owner Leo Leung. They have amassed over 13,000 Instagram followers and even partnered with the Hong Kong Tourism Board in 2017 to promote the area of Old Central. Hongkongers clearly connect with Shiba Inus, so it is no surprise that Mame & Shiba Cafe opened up in Causeway Bay.
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Mame & Shiba cafe is home to 9 Shiba Inu and Mame (a controversial smaller breed of Shiba) puppies for you to hang out with. The cafe is open from 12-9pm during weekdays, with special reservation required on the weekends. Though they currently only serve cup noodles and box drinks in terms of food, it’s the perfect place to visit on a date or day with friends for an hour of photos and playing with the energetic Shiba pups.
It is a fun place to enjoy the company of Hong Kong’s favorite dog breed, but Mame & Shiba Cafe raises some concerns about the breeding of Mame Shiba Inu. According to My First Shiba Inu, a popular blog for educating Shiba Inu owners, the smaller Mame Shiba does nothing for the betterment of the breed and is an easy target for inhumane puppy mills or backyard breeders.
However, Mame & Shiba Cafe have said on their Facebook Page that they work with “excellent breeders in Japan” with the intention of educating the Hong Kong public about how to properly care for their pets.