Aiah of the P-pop girl group BINI caused a stir among fans after receiving a surprise gift—a puppy—from a devoted fan.
Shekinah Pulsutin, a fan of BINI since January 2024, presented Aiah with a chow chow and Japanese spitz mix puppy during the event at the MOA Music Hall on August 30, 2024.
According to Pulsutin, the gift was inspired by Aiah’s love for dogs, particularly golden retrievers, which she frequently shares on her social media accounts.
“She really loves dogs, all of the Blooms know that especially Aiah stans po,” she told The Philippine STAR.
She went on to express how much BINI has positively influenced her life, inspiring her to be a better person.
“I am genuinely happy that Aiah will have her best companion na, and we, Blooms, are hoping to see [an] update soon. Everyone is waiting for the new name ni puppy,” she added.
While many fans were thrilled about Aiah’s new furry friend, the gift, however, has caused concern among others.
Two prominent fan communities of the group voiced their worries about the “appropriateness” of giving a “live present” to the member, posting statements on their social media pages requesting caution to those who would give the girls presents in the future.
BLOOM PHILIPPINES wrote in their X post, “As BINI focuses on their current schedule and commitments, it’s important to recognize that giving live gifts goes beyond entertainment—it’s responsibility.”
“Let’s be mindful not to put the girls on the spot by giving such gifts at this time, allowing them to concentrate fully on their work and well-being. Thank you!”, concluded their statement.
Additionally, a fan page dedicated to Aiah, “BINI AIAH OFC” also aired their concern over the gift, describing it as a “big responsibility” to the member who is already overwhelmed with a hectic schedule as part of the popular P-pop group.
The fan page also claimed that according to their trusted source, the live gift was “not properly communicated nor was consent given”.
“Whether their schedule is busy or not, we do not encourage nor do we normalize gifting of living things without proper communication with the receiver. Moreover, let us always remember the importance of consent. May everyone be reminded of the commitment and constant care that living things, especially pets, require,” BINI AIAH OFC’s statement read.
Concluding their message, they wrote “We hope that this does not happen again not only to Aiah, but to the rest of BINI as well.”
Conversely, some fans defended Pulsutin’s gesture, pointing out Aiah’s heartfelt reaction to the puppy.
“Sooo someone surprised me with a dog last night[.] Didn’t expect [I]’d be a dog mom so soon but I guess Christmas came early haha”, Aiah wrote on Instagram accompanied by photos of her and the puppy.
It also came with a question for her followers to guess her new pet’s name.
“Well I guess I now have another tenant in my place living rent free haha,” she added.
On the other hand, Pulsutin also clarified that she had taken careful steps to ensure the gift was well-received, including clarifying the dog’s condition and detailing the process she followed to deliver the puppy to the P-pop idol.
However, on Sunday afternoon, the fan appeared to have posted a cryptic apology message on her X account which read, “I am really sorry po. Yes po mali po talaga ako. Hindi na po mauulit ‘yon.”
As of now, Aiah and BINI’s management have yet to react to the issue.
Meanwhile, BINI recently announced an additional date to their “Grand Biniverse concert at the Araneta Coliseum in November, “due to insistent public demand.”
The announcement came after all tickets to Day 1 and Day 2 of their upcoming show were sold out three hours after its selling for exclusive members of the BINI fansite.
