SINGAPORE: A chicken rice stall owner took to Facebook after encountering a woman who claimed his wife did not wash her hands after serving a visually impaired customer who came in with her guide dog.
The woman returned later and pasted a notice on the stall owner’s cash register table with a printout from Google search results “Are dogs allowed in Kopitiam?” A video of the woman placing a piece of paper on a counter was posted.
Mr Michael Poh owns Poh Kee Chicken Rice at Block 206 Toa Payoh North. In a post on the eatery’s FB page on Sunday, he wrote about the encounter with the woman on Friday (June 23).
The post says that Mr Poh’s wife, who had served the visually impaired customer “nicely”, told the woman that she had washed her hands after serving, but since she was seated quite far from the stall, the woman could not have seen it.
And when the woman persisted in arguing, Mr Poh himself came out. 
That was when the woman told her that dogs are not allowed in eateries.
“I replied nicely that she was a guide dog belonging to a visually impaired person, and SFA (Singapore Food Agency) 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.”
Instead of the issue ending there, Mr Poh found out that the woman returned the following day and gave a stall staff a piece of paper with a screenshot of laws that did not allow dogs in food shops.
On Sunday (June 25) the woman entered the shop again when Mr Poh was out and affixed the same printout on Mr Poh’s cash register table.
“Come on la, do u know that u are breaking the law and committing 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…”
A quick check on SFA’s website shows that Mr Poh was right and that guide dogs are indeed allowed in food establishments.
/TISG