Poh Kee Chicken Rice at Toa Payoh, posted on their Facebook page about an incident that happened with a customer who was not happy with them serving a customer with a guide dog, and who left them a passive-aggressive note at their stall twice.
The dispute began when a woman repeatedly left notes at the Poh Kee Chicken Rice stall expressing her displeasure about the presence of a guide dog.
Despite being informed multiple times that the dog was assisting a visually impaired woman, the woman remained dissatisfied.
She accused the stall owner’s wife of not washing her hands after serving the woman with the guide dog on June 23rd, despite the wife clarifying that she had indeed done so.
The woman claimed she did not witness the handwashing and insisted that dogs should not be allowed in food courts.
Guide Dogs Permitted in Dining Areas
Contrary to the woman’s claims, the Singapore Food Agency has clearly stated that guide dogs are allowed in dining areas. These highly trained and essential companions are exempt from the general rule prohibiting pets in such spaces.
The agency recognizes the vital role guide dogs play in supporting individuals with visual impairments and ensures their access to public places, including food courts.
Poh Kee Chicken Rice’s Facebook post
On Friday, the lady in this footage saw my wife serving a visually impaired lady accompanied with her guide dog. This lady claimed that my wife did not wash her hands after serving her. My wife told her nicely that she did, but the lady claimed that she did not see it.
My wife then told her that she was seated so far from my stall, how could she have seen her washing inside the stall. The lady maintained that she did not see it. So I came out from my stall to ask her what was the matter. She said that dogs are not allowed in the food shop.
I replied nicely that she was a guide dog belonging to a visually impaired person, and SFA allows guide dogs to accompany the owners into the shop regardless it’s for takeaway or dining in. If she doesn’t know this, I am more than happy to show her proof and educate her on this matter.
But she remained unhappy and said she will make things difficult for me, cos no matter what dog, dogs are dogs.
I know that I did not commit any offences hence did not hold on to the matter.
Then on Saturday, a staff of the coffeeshop showed me a slip of paper that a lady had passed him to show me. It was a printed screen shot of laws that did not allow dogs in food shops. I told the staff that it was the regular guide dog that visited and the matter was let off.
Fast forward to today, the said lady came to my stall when I was off and just entered it without anyone noticing to paste a copy of the same slip of paper on my cash register table.
Come on la, do u know that u are breaking the law and commiting a criminal offence? By entering private premises and pasting this notice, do u know that u have committed breaking and entering and vandalism ? And by the advise of the Singapore Police Force, harassment will also be one of the offences added in.
I have made a report, and will be following up with the IO tomorrow.
Who knows what audacious things she will do in the future if I do not make a report. She may add poison my things and in the end, my customers and me have to suffer.
Please don’t do this, anything that u are not happy with u can take it out on me, and not do things like this.
Pasting paper like this, u think u loan shark meh…..
2 wrongs do not make a right…