For the last 30 years every dog that took Best in Show received a special Steak Lunch cooked to order at the Famous NYC Steakhouse Sardi’s. Its part of their whirl-wind tour the day after they are chosen as the top dog in the US. And every year, the tradition broke the health department’s rules against animals in restaurants. No one seemed to care as it brings in a lot of added attention to the restaurant who feeds the dog his or her special steak cut up on a silver platter. That was until this year when either someone at the NYC Health Department either picked up the news paper or watched the news. Maybe it was because Malachy the Pekingese chose shredded chicken and rice instead of chunks of almost raw steak or because someone took offense to the little one at the restaurant but apparently the Health Department was upset and issued a letter saying no more dogs eating at Sardi’s. Why they really took notice this year is really anyone’s guess considering a well behaved clean dog is really not a very big deal. Maybe if Malachy was a 200lb Mastiff and got too excited and knocked over the tables or jumped on the table to get everyone’s food and therefor cause a commotion.
In a reversal of their decision from yesterday the NYC Health Department is willing to issue Sardi’s a Waiver given by the Commissioner him or herself on a yearly basis for this special meal to take place. See there is a loophole allowance of some kind that they apparently did not know about yesterday when the statement was issued. I am thinking that the restaurant received permission the first few years or so that they invited to winner to dine with them and then just figured everyone knows and it isn’t a big deal. The meal at Sardi’s is a publicity stunt and really cheap advertising for the restaurant considering all sorts of news media gather there to take pictures of, film, and write about the meal the Westminster winner eats.
Its a fun treat and break for the winner after being whisked around town starting first thing in the morning after the win with TV interviews, a trip to ring the bell on Wall Street, a ride up in the elevators at the Empire State Building, and other promotions which probably vary from year to year. The Westminster winner shows off NYC to the world so one small meal eaten by a dog inside a restaurant really should be overlooked. While sometimes the winner will get camera shy or be too excited to eat the steak (or Chicken) they generally devour enjoy the special treat. Malachy seemed to enjoy his special meal of shredded chicken and really eat it up.
