𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: “'Animal-friendly policy' faces criticism after Aspin’s denial” by Mikaella Avril Allavado

 

Published by: Marino Peralta

Date Published: September 24, 2024

Time Published: 9:00 AM

Balay Dako, a restaurant in Tagaytay City known for its animal-friendly policy, receives backlash after denying entry to Yoda, an Aspin owned by Lara Antonio. She shared the incident on Facebook on September 8, 2024, with many netizens speculating the refusal was related to Yoda’s breed.

Lara expressed her disappointment on social media after a staff member informed her that Yoda exceeded the size limit for dogs, despite having no written size limit posted on their guidelines.

The staff member also asked about Yoda’s breed, which made Lara uneasy. 

She stated that it could be the reason why they were not allowed to enter.

“I have a weird gut feeling immediately so instead of Aspin, I say ‘mixed breed.’ I’ve dealt with this before. I know this, and as annoying as it is, ‘mixed breed’ is more palatable to elitist establishments like Balay Dako, apparently,” Lara wrote on her post.

Balay Dako has come under scrutiny after the post gained attention online. The incident has sparked a debate on social media about breed discrimination, with many dog lovers and animal welfare advocates questioning the restaurant’s animal-friendly claims.

On September 9, 2024, Balay Dako issued an apology about the incident. Clarifying their policy, the restaurant stated, “As a company that loves animals, we understand the importance of accommodating pets. However, we must also consider factors such as spacing and the safety of all our guests.”

REFERENCES:

[1] Abad, Y. (2024, September 9). Balay Dako draws flak from barring an aspin from entry, issues apology. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/.../balay-dako-apologizes.../

[2] Abad, Y. (2024, September 10). Netizens slam Balay Dako for ‘non-apology,’ animal welfare groups advocate for aspins. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/.../filipinos-online-animal.../

[3] Bilyonaryo News Channel. (2024, September 9). Not truly pet-friendly! Balay Dako accused of discriminating against Aspins. bnc.ph. https://bilyonaryo.com/.../not-truly-pet.../business/

[4] Faicol, B. (2023, April 12). Attention, Fur Parents: Balay Dako Is Pet-Friendly, But Only Under These Conditions. Spot PH. https://www.spot.ph/.../balay-dako-pet-friendly-tagaytay...