Callie was more than a facility dog—she was a source of comfort, confidence, and unconditional love for the students and staff of J.R. Bonfield Elementary School. Every day, she helped children navigate anxiety, grief, and life's challenges. She wasn't just part of the school; she was part of its heart.

On June 11, 2026, Callie died after being left in a vehicle during dangerously hot weather. Her death has left students, families, educators, and animal lovers devastated. It was a tragedy that should never have happened.

The Warwick School District has acknowledged the incident and confirmed that a personnel process is underway. The Lancaster County District Attorney has also announced that criminal charges will not be filed, concluding that the available evidence does not meet the legal standard for prosecution under the statutes considered.

While we respect the role of the District Attorney in evaluating the evidence, many members of the community believe additional legal review is warranted.

Pennsylvania law recognizes that anyone entrusted with the care of an animal has a duty to provide for that animal's basic needs. Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 5532 (Neglect of Animal), that duty includes providing protection from the weather. The statute also provides enhanced penalties when a violation causes bodily injury or places an animal at imminent risk of serious bodily injury.

We respectfully ask the Lancaster County District Attorney to reconsider whether 18 Pa.C.S. § 5532, or any other applicable provision of Pennsylvania law, should be applied to the circumstances surrounding Callie's death. Our request is not based on emotion alone, but on the belief that the law deserves careful consideration whenever an animal dies while entirely dependent upon a person who had a duty of care.

We also call upon the Warwick School District Board of School Directors to complete its personnel investigation with transparency and to hold the responsible employee appropriately accountable. If the Board determines that an employee's actions or omissions directly resulted in Callie's preventable death, we urge the Board to terminate that employee. The community deserves confidence that those entrusted with the care of children and school facility animals are held to the highest standards of responsibility.

Finally, we ask the Warwick School District to adopt comprehensive safeguards for all facility animals, including:

• Mandatory transportation safety protocols.
• Required vehicle inspection checklists before leaving any vehicle.
• Annual training on heat-related animal safety.
• Written emergency procedures for transporting facility animals.
• Independent review of any incident involving injury or death of a facility animal.

This petition is not about punishment for its own sake. It is about accountability, transparency, and preventing another family, another school, and another community from experiencing a loss like this.

Callie spent her life comforting children. She depended on the adults responsible for her care to protect her.

We owe it to Callie—and to every school facility animal that follows—to ensure that this tragedy leads to meaningful action.

Please sign this petition to urge the Warwick School District Board to hold the responsible employee accountable through its personnel process, to ask the Lancaster County District Attorney to reconsider whether additional provisions of Pennsylvania law apply, and to support stronger protections for school facility animals across our Commonwealth.

Callie's life mattered. Let her legacy be one of accountability, compassion, and lasting change.