No More Steak from Sardi's for Westminster Winners
Published February 16, 2012
Malchy the Pekingese = Sara Bogush
Malchy the Pekingese, who took the title of Best in Show at the 2012 Westminster Kennel Club Show, was nearly the last canine diner to grace Sardi's, a New York restaurant, as a 30-year Westminster tradition.
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Original article:
Each year, upon winning the top prize of Best in Show at the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the top dog is paraded throughout various locations in New York City the day after, giving the media the chance to spotlight the winning pooch. One stop on this annual media tour has been Sardi's, a New York restaurant in the Theater District, that has invited the winning dog to dine at its facility year in and year out.
That tradition, which has lived on over the course of three decades, came to a sad conclusion as of yesterday.
According to a New York Post article, the tradition is ending as the city's Health Department tightens its restrictions on animals being able to dine in the same area as their human counterparts. Yesterday, the Health Department decreed that Sardi's would no longer be able to publicly invite the winners of Westminster to its restaurant, making Malachy the Pekingese perhaps the last doggie diner at the historic venue.
What do you think about New York City's Health Department tightening their regulations? Is the Westminster winner dining for one day at a restaurant detrimental to the health of restaurant-goers? Or is this a case of the Health Department being too stringent, and thus bringing a harmless and fun tradition to a sad close? Share your thoughts on the matter in a comment!
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Comments (9)
Another government assault on our rights. Their next step (on our toes) will be to outlaw the feeding of our own pets inside our homes.
Leave it to "Commandant" Bloomberg to tell everyone in NYC how to live. Disgusting.
Don't they have anything important to deal with? Assistance dogs are by law allowed in any public building with its human companion. Under the American with Disabilities Act, they need no certificate, no license, no training,and if the owner of any establishment open to the public, bars an assistance dog they are breaking the law.
I deal with this all the time. My Golden retriever Emma, senses when my balance is unsteady. I don't always feel anything but she does. Without her, I would fall down a lot. You can't train a dog to do this. It is dependent on the bond that the dog and the human form. I didn't know she could do this until when I did fall and she pulled me up.
As far as the winner of Westminster is concerned, this happens once a year. It brings a lot of money into the city. The mayor should share a table at Sardi's with the winner.
with on that new york has going wrong for it. come on it is once a year. i am not sure is there someone new in the office that made this new decision? if so hopefully it will be their last. just petition the higher ups on nyc council!!
Yes, that's not humane. The dog's cleaner than many another patron at Sardi's.
Hmmm this dog looks cleaner then some people that go out in public.
Puh-leeze! Of course, I understand the GENERAL rule. Once a year a visit from a dog who has been washed, combed, groomed far better than most humans on a good day? Come on!