Robinsons mall refuses entry to foreigner with assistance dog

[Monseratto]

A Robinsons mall refuses entry to foreigner with assistance dog; local police handcuffs him
BY JB ADALIA – AUGUST 30, 2014

A foreigner suffering from a neurological disorder was denied entry by Robinsons Place Dumaguete because they would not let his assistance dog inside mall premises, saying pets are not allowed inside, reports Local Facebook page Hulagway ug Kasikas sa Dumaguete (HUKAD).



The guards were the first to bar him from entering, pending approval from the management; however, even though Mark Cohen explained to the guards that the dog was not a “pet” but a well-trained service dog, they still would not allow him entry.

HUKAD reported that the first incident happened last August 17, just 3 days after he arrived in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. The incident caused a commotion at the main entrance to the mall. When Cohen kept on insisting they allow him inside, the guards called the police. He was brought to the police in handcuffs for causing “public disturbance”.

At the police station, Cohen, some members of the local media, police officers, and some concerned citizens waited for mall representatives to arrive so the issue can be solved, but they waited in vain, HUKAD also announced.

As the director of the International Institute for Assistance Dog Training, Cohen may be a medically-certified Person with Disability, but he aims to educate people about assistance dogs. So, he wrote a lengthy letter to the management of Robinsons Place Dumaguete, explaining his side, his medical issues, and imploring them to allow him entry the next time he visits the mall with his service dog, Happy.

In his letter to mall officials, shared by HUKAD, Cohen reminded them he is allowed to enter the mall with this dog in accordance to Philippine laws under Republic Acts 7227 and 9442 as well as Batas Pambansa Blg. 344.

When they did not contact him, he returned on August 27 with high hopes, but the mall’s management continued to refuse to let him in, reports The Daily Pedia. They even closed the northwest entrance so he could not enter.

In protest, he camped out at that door for hours – and the police could only stand there and stood vigil with him outside the door, ensuring peace, while the mall guards held their ground at the other side of the door.


Cohen camps out at the mall’s entrance in protest
Photo credit: Hulagway ug Kasikas sa Dumaguete

Netizens were divided over how to react on the issue, with some saying the mall should allow him entry because the dog was not a pet, but a service dog, reports World Fact News. These people went as far as calling the mall management as ignorant.

There were also those who sided with the management, saying the mall was right in refusing him entry because his dog was huge and could potentially harm the people inside. To this, many reminded them that service dogs are trained, not just pets.

There were also those who bashed the foreigner for going to the mall without assistance when he allegedly had a girlfriend in the city who should have accompanied him. Cohen, however, has traveled to many places across the world with only the dog as company.

Due to the overwhelming public response, the mall released the following statement:


Robinsons Place Dumaguete refuses entry to foreigner with assistance dog
Photo credit: Robinsons Malls Facebook page

Sam Du, owner of Bo’s Coffee Club, was angry with the mall’s statement, informing HUKAD that he offered Cohen free use of the coffee shop’s wi-fi on his own accord, not ‘arranged’ by the mall as claimed by the management.

In its statement, the mall insisted that Cohen was not blind and even wanted to enter the mall to use the internet facilities; however, Cohen had never pretended he was blind. It is a common misconception that assistance dogs are used only by the blind; ‘seeing-eye’ dogs do exist, but they are just one kind of service dogs, according to Wikipedia.

A Robinsons mall refuses entry to foreigner with assistance dog; local police handcuffs him | Kicker Daily News

[iceblueyes]

Foreigners... This is a case of tama ka nga pero you are being a jackass about it.

[yebo]

Malls are private property, they can refuse anyone they do not want in, just like you and I have the right to refuse entry in our homes of those we do not welcome. They are in fact right by saying they are protecting their other mall patrons from the dog, pet or not. They have a bigger responsibilty for the safety of 99.999% of their customers than 1 person with a dog. Ignorant or not, it is still their private property and they will be the judge who they allow in. At the same time they will also be the one responsible if something goes wrong, so nobody can blame them if they insist on their ignorance.

Foreigners with agendas are not especially privileged. It does not make his actions more important nor more correct than those of Juan de la Cruz.

[mk]

Tama lang yan. Eh pano pag pinapasok nya aso then may kinagat na tatlong tao? E di mas malaki poblema ni robinsons kaysa ndi nya pinapasok yung aso

[shadow]

If it's a legit aid dog, hinde mo pwede pigilan pumasok, parang sinabi rin na hinde pwede wheelchair sa loob ng shangrila mall dahil Baka magasgas yun tiles nila


Sent from my iPad using Tsikot Car Forums

#retzing

[cast_no_shadow]

Base sa statement ng mall justified naman ata na hindi papasukin yung aso?

They even exert effort to meet the need of the foreigner still ayaw pa din.

In that case no entry talaga.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shadow]

Kung sa airplane pinapayagan mas masikip naman yata doon at mas malaki ng chance makakahagat Ang aso. sa mall pa kaya?


Posted via Tsikot Mobile App

[Walter]

If you are not allowed to enter a private establishment then it's better not to insist and cause a commotion. This is the thing with foreigners, they think that the laws that apply to their country must also be applied elsewhere.


6 Foreign Parenting Practices Americans Would Call Neglect

Europeans Park Their Kids on the Sidewalk.
Nordic Kids Nap in Subzero Weather ... Outside.
Letting Kids Drink Beer Is Way More Common Than You Think.

[foresterx]

If it's a legit aid dog, hinde mo pwede pigilan pumasok, parang sinabi rin na hinde pwede wheelchair sa loob ng shangrila mall dahil Baka magasgas yun tiles nila


Sent from my iPad using Tsikot Car Forums

#retzing

this, i guess a lot of people in our country don't understand what service dogs are. they aren't your regular house dogs, service dogs are very very special and highly trained kind of dogs. they can even tell when a person is about to have a heart attack or a seizure, which no human being can do. they can prevent bad things from happening to the person they're guiding which can't be done by humans.

service dogs don't just attack humans for no reason, heck i haven't even heard a service dog attacking a human.

anyway not defending the guy since if a mall doesn't want me in then i just won't go to that mall anymore. no need to make a scene about it.

[IMm29]

In this case, assuming Robinsons did offer the assistance they posted, I think di na pagkukulang yan ng Mall management. They're a private establishment, and wala nga siguro sa policy nila ang differentiation between "assistance dog" and "pet". They might want to think about that for future reference.

[shadow]

I don't buy na since they are a private property eh they have all the rights. Kasi yes it's a private property but gear towards public/service.

Hinde naman yan parang ordinary bahay na private property talaga eh mall yan na pinapasok public.

Pwede sa bahay natin hinde tayo sumunod sa disable law like pwede walang ramp for wheelchairs but a mall kahit na privately own kailangan sumunod pa rin. So hybrid sila


Posted via Tsikot Mobile App

[Kasparov]

If Robinson extended their help as claimed, jackass nga itong foreigner na ito. Remember yung bomb sniffing dog na may nakagat na customer? I think Robinson is avoiding that situation. Kung ako mall manager, I will put in writing every assistance na i-ooffer ko sa foreigner. If he still refuses and continue to protest, I will file a case againts him and let him protest in jail.

[oj88]

If Robinson extended their help as claimed, jackass nga itong foreigner na ito. Remember yung bomb sniffing dog na may nakagat na customer? I think Robinson is avoiding that situation. Kung ako mall manager, I will put in writing every assistance na i-ooffer ko sa foreigner. If he still refuses and continue to protest, I will file a case againts him and let him protest in jail.

But apparently, the assistance they claimed they provided the individual seems to be half-true...

It appears that the mall did not made the arrangement for the individual to use the coffee shop (Bo's Coffee). The said coffee shop's owner claims that he offered access to his shop and free WiFi on his own accord. https://www.facebook.com/RobinsonsMa...levant_count=1

Anyway, both parties are right, IMO. The mall have a responsibility to protect their patrons, while the individual, as a PWD, also has a right to bring along his service dog (assuming that it is certified as one). It's probably a failure in process and/or protocol.

Maybe if PWDs have something similar to a senior card, where the disability and other details (including the purpose of the service dog) can be written on? And maybe make it a requirement for uncaged dogs to wear a muzzle in certain public areas?

There's at least one case abroad where a pit bull service dog attacked a terrier pet dog.

[shadow]

Just a question hinde rin sila nag allow ng bomb sniffing dog sa mall premises nila?

Saka service dogs are not pets.




Posted via Tsikot Mobile App

[IMm29]

Just a question hinde rin sila nag allow ng bomb sniffing dog sa mall premises nila?

Saka service dogs are not pets.




Posted via Tsikot Mobile App

Well, yun nga. That's an eye opener for them as well. Even if gusto nilang magmatigas, na totally walang animals/pets, then they need to specifically state that even "service dogs" are not allowed para malinaw. How that will affect their relationship with the community will have to be seen.

[Stoner]

All this could've been avoided if mall management replied promptly to his letter on their stand.

Dumb.

[oj88]

Saka service dogs are not pets.

But there lies the rub. There's currently no conclusive way tell them apart (service vs pet dog) unless the disability is something more obvious or severe.

In the US at least, some people go as far as to pass off their pet dog as a service dog by disguising them with vests and whatnot.

It's a can of worms if you ask me. If Robinsons allow entry for service dogs, there's not a doubt in my mind that fakers will be abusing it.

[erick_214]

Napaka simple ng problema na ito. Kung ayaw papasukin maghanap ng SM, dun pwede ang mga pets. Kung ako dun sa lalaki, bakit ko ipagpipilitan ang aking sarili sa Rob? Kung walang SM, maghanap siya ng aalalay sa kanya o kahit sa ibang mall na gusto niyang pumunta. Pasensya siya sa Pilipinas siya pumunta eh.

He is just soooo stupid for me...

[leodawesome]

^ Baka sir may business matter sa loob ng Rob. Anyways, I think he just wanted to raise awareness here in our country for that kind of situation / condition. Parang ALS ice bucket challenge lang. Now we know na may ganung situation pala. He did well IMO. Sana lang may pumansin at umaksyon.

[IMm29]

Napaka simple ng problema na ito. Kung ayaw papasukin maghanap ng SM, dun pwede ang mga pets. Kung ako dun sa lalaki, bakit ko ipagpipilitan ang aking sarili sa Rob? Kung walang SM, maghanap siya ng aalalay sa kanya o kahit sa ibang mall na gusto niyang pumunta. Pasensya siya sa Pilipinas siya pumunta eh.

He is just soooo stupid for me...

Supposedly, nag-offer ang Rob Place management ng nurse to assist him, but he refused.