A discussion on breed discrimination has sparked on social media after an Aspin (asong Pinoy) was allegedly denied entry to Balay Dako, a restaurant in Tagaytay.
In a now-viral post, Lara Antonio detailed her experience in the restaurant with her family and her beloved dogs, Yoda and Ari. She claimed that Yoda, an Aspin, was turned away despite the restaurant’s pet-friendly policy.
“We got turned away from Balay Dako today for what I can only guess is because Yoda is an Aspin,” she began her lengthy post.
Photo: Lara Antonio
The pet owner explained that they had visited the restaurant before with Yoda and had no issues, so she assumed everything would be fine during their visit. Upon arrival, she was given pet guidelines stating that only small to medium-sized dogs were allowed and all dogs must wear diapers.
Concerned about the diaper requirement, she said she asked the front of house (FOH) staff if it would be an issue, but was assured that diapers could be purchased in the restaurant. However, the staff informed her that Yoda wasn’t allowed inside because of her size.
“Suddenly, FOH tells me that Yoda isn’t allowed inside. I asks ‘why,’ she says ‘up to medium-sized dogs only.’ And I said, ‘huh?’ At this point, we’ve been standing in front of the door for over 10 minutes na, people going in and out greeting Yoda and Ari and she didn’t say anything to me.”
Lara noted that she was asked what breed Yoda was, to which she answered, “mixed breed,” instead of Aspin to prevent potential discrimination. She then further inquired about the size qualifications for medium dogs.
“Instead of answering they asked me what’s her weight. My mistake is that I said ’18kg’ instead of reiterating my question. After I answered, I asked again, ‘Ano yung [What are the] size qualifications ng [of a] medium dog?'”
According to Lara, the staff said the size limit for dogs allowed in the restaurant is 10 to 15kg. Yoda, weighing 18kg, was considered too large, despite the pet owner pointing out that Yoda was medium-sized and had previously visited the restaurant.
“We take the dogs back to the car but this whole situation doesn’t sit well with me. I check the website and I can’t find anything about 15kg,” she stressed.
Suspicious of Balay Dako’s pet policy, Lara questioned the staff about where the size limit was specified on their website or social media. When the staff couldn’t provide any definitive proof, the manager stepped in, showing old photos of dogs allowed in the restaurant around 2023, including a Golden Retriever and Labrador.
Photo: Lara Antonio
“And I said, ‘Labrador? Eh mas malaki sila sa aso ko eh. So ano yung problema? Kasi aspin siya?’ [They’re bigger than my dog, so what’s the problem? Because she’s an Aspin?]” the fur mom shared. “And of course, she says no, she tries to explain na someone brought their dogs and ‘may nakagat na’ [someone was bitten] and okay that’s not what I’m asking. That’s not my dog’s fault? It’s that owner’s fault.”
The restaurant staff was unable to provide any specific guidelines for the 15kg weight limit. Instead, they admitted that these decisions were made on a case-by-case basis, further fueling Lara’s frustration.
“So what’s clear to me is that THEY DECIDE. They’ll decide based on what your dog looks like. And then they’ll let you know just like that. Kasi kung 15kg talaga bakit pwede LABRADOR. Bakit may golden retriever dun sa photo na pinapakita niya of ‘dogs that are allowed’ [If the size limit is 15kg, why Labradors are allowed? Why is there a Golden Retriever in the photos she shows of ‘dogs that are allowed’],” she added.
Lara concluded her post by emphasizing that Balay Dako must have “clear guidelines” on their pet policy, “Don’t look at my dog, ask what her breed is and then tell me there’s a 15kg rule AND THEN SAY ‘the only dogs we allow are Shit Tzus and LABRADORS?????’ LABRADORS are literally 20kgs and above.”
See her full post below:
Balay Dako, on the other hand, issued a statement, following the incident. The restaurant has apologized for the “misunderstanding” concerning its pet policy and reiterated that they’re taking steps to ensure its staff is better trained and guided to understand and implement its policies effectively.
In her latest post, Lara said the restaurant didn’t reach out to her nor offer apologies, “We’re not after that though – just wanted to warn anyone who wanted to bring their dogs to this establishment that they’re not as pet-friendly as they advertise they are.”
The recent Aspin incident prompted several pet owners and animal welfare groups to speak out about Aspin’s prejudice and breed discrimination.
ALSO READ: PAWS Issues Statement on Dog Killua’s Death: “None of the elements of self-defense were present”
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