Ben Madilynn
A restaurant in Tagaytay is now facing backlash following an incident that left many patrons, especially pet lovers, outraged and disappointed.
On September 8, 2024, pet owner Lara Antonio shared her experience on social media after being turned away from the establishment for bringing her Aspin (Asong Pinoy) dog, Yoda.
Lara, who had previously dined at the restaurant with Yoda without any issues, was suddenly told that only small to medium-sized dogs were allowed.
According to her, the front of house initially welcomed them, offering to sell diapers for Yoda. However, minutes later, they were told Yoda couldn’t stay.
She tried to clarify the policy, asking why her dog, who was medium-sized, was being singled out, only to be asked, “ano pong breed niya?”
Knowing full well the discrimination that sometimes comes with being an Aspin owner, she told them that Yara was mixed breed.
“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,” Lara vented in her post.
Photo/s: Screengrab from Facebook | Lara L. Antonio
When Antonio pressed further, asking for the size qualifications of a medium dog, the staff avoided direct answers and instead asked Yoda’s weight.
“My mistake is that I said ‘18kg’ instead of reiterating my question. After I answer I ask again, ‘ano yung size qualifications ng medium dog?’
“And then after they talk amongst themselves, someone comes out and says ‘10-15kg lang po.’
“At this point I know 15kg is arbitrary and they just chose a number smaller than Yoda kasi you can tell when people are lying to you and they were 100% pulling that out of nowhere,” she related.
Frustrated by the inconsistent enforcement of the pet policy—especially since larger dogs like Labradors were reportedly allowed—she requested that the staff provide written proof of the size restrictions.
As it happens, the manager could not provide any concrete guidelines from the restaurant’s website or social media.
She explained that the manager approached her and claimed the guidelines were posted on Facebook. However, when she checked, she couldn’t find anything.
“She scrolls ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2023 and all she can show me are photos of dogs that are allowed and GUESS WHAT A GOLDEN RETRIEVER BIGGER THAN YODA IS IN THE PHOTO,” she wrote.
“She makes the freaking mistake of telling me na the only dogs allowed are ‘shih tzus, labradors…’ tumagginting na yung tenga ko sa labrador. Kasi mas malaki sila kay Yoda. Labradors are EASILY 25kgs and above.
“And I said, ‘labrador? Eh mas malaki sila sa aso ko eh. So ano yung problema? Kasi aspin siya?’ And of course she says no, she tries to explain na someone brought their dogs and ‘may nakagat na’ and okay that’s not what i’m asking.
“That’s not my dog’s fault? It’s that owner’s fault. So don’t say you’re pet-friendly and let LABRADORS in but not my aspin.”
NETIZENS, CELEBS CALL OUT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ASPINS
The story quickly went viral, gaining widespread attention and stirring strong reactions from the online community.
Many pet owners voiced out their concerns about the bias against Aspins.
As a result, the restaurant has become a trending topic on X (formerly Twitter), where users continue to share the incident.
On Facebook, the backlash has also been impactful, causing the restaurant’s rating to plummet from over 66% to 46% overnight.
Many social media users flooded the restaurant’s pages, review-bombing it with low ratings and criticisms.
Among the reviews are hashtags stating #NoToBreedDiscrimination.
One netizen penned: “They allow huskies, chow chow, labradors and retrievers to dine in but blatantly turned away a medium size aspin due to ‘spacing and safety reasons’ daw.
“They advertise as pet-friendly and offers Filipino authentic food but hate local breed of dogs. Ironic. The staffs attitude reflects the management’s by not apologizing properly and addressing the issue.
“Parang inamin na din talaga nila na di allowed ang Aspin sa resto nila regardless of size. Shame on this elitist kind of business. DO NOT PATRONIZE!!”
Even high-profile celebrities and staunch animal advocates, including Heart Evangelista, Carla Abellana, and John Arcilla, expressed their disappointment over the incident.
The story gained further traction when PAWS Philippines, a well-known animal welfare group, reposted Lara’s experience.
John commented, “That is false advertisement. These establishments should be reprimanded officially and legally. There should be no discrimination of pets on all levels.”
Meanwhile, Heart, who is a proud Aspin owner, reacted: “Naku ha”
Carla, who reposted Lara’s story on her Instagram stories, asked for the restaurant to explain their side about the “disappointing” happening.
RESTAURANT RESPONDS
At press time, the restaurant in question has published its official statement regarding Lara’s post.
The statement read in full: “We sincerely apologize for the recent misunderstanding regarding our pet policy. 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. We are currently reviewing our policy to ensure it is clear, fair, and balances the needs of both pet owners and non-pet owners.
“Additionally, we will take steps to ensure that our staff are better trained and guided to understand and implement our policies effectively.
“We appreciate your understanding and patience during this process. We hope for your continued support as we strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.”
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