Officer and family fight for K9 partner after reassignment

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Family fights to keep police K9 partner
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A police officer in Pennsylvania is fighting to keep his K9 partner after his employer reassigned him. Abal, a German shepherd, has lived with Officer Richard Galanti, and his family, since 2013 – but Officer Galanti’s reassignment resulted in the K9 being removed from Galanti’s household.

On the Change.org petition created to help Abal being returned to his family, the situation leading to his removal from their home is explained:

On March 23, 2018 my husband, Officer Richard Galanti of the SEPTA Transit Police Department received a memo from work, they would be transferring him from his K9 unit effective April 1, 2018. They would notify him at a later date of the future of his dog Abal.

Four days later they informed him that Abal would be reassigned to another handler. March 30, 2018, he was instructed to bring Abal to the kennel on the morning of April 3, 2018, where the dog will stay until another handler is found.

According to the Galanti family, Abal is seven years of age and they hoped that he could be retired from his duties and allowed to stay with them. The family wrote:

Abal is almost 7 years old and has worked for the last five years. When we found out about the transfer we hoped and asked that he would be retired. We also asked to possibly purchase a new dog for the department in exchange for Abal. (Although, how we will be able to do that I’m not sure). We haven’t yet received an answer, other than he will be reassigned.

Abal is more than a working K9 – he is part of the Galanti family. Nicole Galanti explained, “We brought him home and fell in love with him. We are the only family he has ever known.”

Read more about the family’s fight to have Abal returned to their home at this link to the Change.org petition.

More news and updates at the National Animal News Facebook page.


Sad “old” dog waits to be saved – learn more about how you can help here.

 Old dog needs a home

You’re going to fall in love with this adorable “grumpy” face dog – read more here.

Grumpy face dog

 


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8 COMMENTS

  1. Abal needs to be given back to the only family he has ever known. There was no reason for him to be taken and his handler reassigned. This is just HORRIBLE!!!! Please give him back to his Family.

  2. Some police departments seem to think a K-9 is nothing more than a piece of equipment. This dog has lived with this handler and his family for 5 years and should be allowed to retire with this officer. Dogs form a bond with their families and to expect this K-9 to perform for another handler is most likely not going to work well. This family has offered to get another dog for the department, why not let them?

  3. My god let him have the dog it’s the only family this dog has ever known have a heart for the dog and the family do the right thing please

  4. It’s always a tough one for someone who knows what goes on behind the scenes in K9 “training” and handling. No doubt, Officer Galanti went along with the cruelty of his K9 unit, but doesn’t want his dog to continue going through that. The department doesn’t care about him, or the dog. In our department, the cruelest handlers have been allowed to keep their dogs for free, while those who’ve established a bond with their dogs, and tried to minimize the cruelty would always be threatened with having their dogs taken away from them. Since my first concern is for the poor dog, I’m pretty sure he will be far better off retired, in the hands of someone who didn’t feel glee while abusing him (which many of them do). http://www.stopk9torture.com

  5. Abal is 7 yrs old, has known ONLY this family………Plz let him stay with “his family”…..It would be stressful on him at this age to upset his life…PLEASE let him stay with his loving​ family!!!

  6. Let the family have Abal. They are the only family he has known and to jerk him out of the family would be barbaric. This would be mental abuse for him AND his family What’s the problem with getting another dog and retiring this one? Find your HUMANITY and do the right thing. Send Abal back to his family.

  7. To treat this K-9 officer, meaning Abal is cruel – he needs to be with Officer Galanti as this is the only handler and family he has ever known. This is the officer Abal has dedicated his life to being partnered with and to protect – what the hell doesn’t this idiot Pennsylvania police department understand????? They belong together – Abal is Officer Galanti’s partner and needs to stay his partner.

  8. I sure hope this officer gets to keep his K-9. what is wrong with the police department? The dog has been with him for too many years now. Have a heart Captain. Sending prayers for Officer Galanti to keep his beloved dog. We should have an email address of his captain to let him known they should do the right thing

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