A lovely lunch hour turned sour when Lara L. Antonio expressed her frustration on Instagram and Facebook after Balay Dako, a popular restaurant in Tagaytay, refused entrance to her Dog, Yoda.
Lara mentioned that she had eaten at the restaurant before with no issues. But on Sunday, Sept. 8, they were turned away. Before entering, Lara was given a piece of paper containing guidelines saying that small- and medium-sized Dogs are allowed inside. The Dogs should also be diapered, which Yoda was not at the time.
Lara had her companion, Mon, ask the staff in front of the house regarding the diapers, and they were assured that they could buy diapers inside the restaurant.
Things went south when a staff member whispered something to the host who was receiving Lara and company.
Sudden rejection
The host then told Lara that Yoda was not allowed inside. When asked why, they said that it was because of Yoda’s size. Then, they asked for Yoda’s breed.
Lara asked what the specific weight limit was. Instead of being answered, she was asked how much Yoda weighed. After being informed that the Dog was 18 kilograms, the host declared that the upper weight limit was 15 kilograms.
According to Lara, “At this point, I know 15 [kilograms] is arbitrary, and they just chose a number smaller than Yoda . . . You can tell when people are lying to you, and they were 100% pulling that [number] out of nowhere.”
Encounter with the manager
After the encounter, Lara, Mon, and their Dogs went back to the car. Lara then checked the restaurant’s website if any weight limit was specified.
Not finding any, Lara went back to the restaurant and asked the restaurant staff for any proof or fine print. The staff did not give her a satisfactory answer, so Lara asked for the manager. She repeated her query about where on their website, socials, or documents the weight limit was specified.
The manager proceeded to open their social media accounts. Lara was shocked to see a Golden Retriever there (whose weight obviously went above the alleged limit), as well as a dressed-up Aspin featured on the restaurant’s social media page.
Changing their approach, the manager attempted to justify their current weight limit based on a previous animal bite incident, which didn’t make sense to Lara. This infuriated her further, cementing her suspicion that the establishment’s policy on Dogs was discriminatory and unreasonable.
PAWS responds
The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) released a statement regarding the matter. PAWS stated that they were disappointed in the situation, and they advocated for respect for all animals, regardless of breed.
They wanted to uplift the Aspins’ image and call for a more inclusive and compassionate approach. The statement also urges pet-friendly establishments to ensure their policies reflect genuine inclusivity for all breeds.
Balay Dako responds
Balay Dako posted a statement on their Facebook page. They apologized for the misunderstanding regarding their pet policy. They added that they “must also consider factors such as spacing and the safety of all our guests.”
They are currently reviewing their policy to make it clear and fair for those with and without animal companions. Additionally, the establishment will ensure that the staff are trained better to effectively implement their policies.
