Ananova:

A new restaurant in China allows its customers to eat at the same table as their pets

The Paradise Pet club opened to a mixed reception in Shanghai earlier this year, reports Shanghai Daily.

The menu features meals for dogs but also drinks and snacks for their owners.

It was intended just for dogs but pet owners have also been bringing along cats, rabbits and other animals.

One customer, Chen Shiyuan, said: "My pets can make friends and enjoy food particularly made for them here."

However, critics have branded the restaurant as "unhygienic" for encouraging humans and animals to eat at the same table.

Gu Zhenhua, director of the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration Bureau, said: "There is no law forbidding pets from eating with their owners.

"But I don't think it's appropriate for pets and their owners to eat at the same table in public."

However, Liu Xiaomei, the general manager of the club, said: "Public health is certainly a big concern for us.

"We disinfect our dishes three times everyday. And all the members are asked to provide a health certificate for their pets before entering the club."