The access of pets to food premises is regulated by the Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on food hygiene (318/2021). According to Article 26 of the Decree, which entered into force in April 2021, access of pets into customer facilities of restaurants, cafés, kiosks or grocery stores can be permitted with the consent of the food business operator. However, the operator may limit the type of pets allowed, for example, to certain species or animals of a certain size. The possibility of bringing a pet into the food premises and the related restrictions must be announced at the entrance of the premises.
Unlike pets, an assistance or guide dog can be brought into a food business without the operator's permission. However, assistance dogs or pets are not allowed in the kitchen or other food handling or storage facilities. In accordance with the Food Act (297/2021), the operator must continue to ensure that the safety of food produced, prepared, stored or processed is not endangered.