Chewie was a sweet, quirky, loving little guinea pig. He had a huge personality despite being so small. He was the best companion and deserved the happiest life for all the joy he brought his family. I wanted Chewie to have the best life possible. I thought getting him a companion would give him some comfort and fun. I saw a little guinea pig at a pet store and thought "how perfect!" I brought him home and thought Chewie would be so happy, and he was! He loved having a new friend to teach his quirky ways to.

Unfortunately, the guinea pig I was sold was sick. I was told this happens often, that most of their animals they sell are sick. My poor Chewie then caught this illness and unfortunately, he did not survive it. Why would a company knowingly sell a sick animal? Is making money truly more important than making sure an animal is healthy? I was given no warning that I would be bringing home a sick animal that could potentially hurt my own beloved pet. Now, my sweet boy Chewie was the cost of their negligence.

I want pet stores to start making sure their animals are healthy to go home before they are sold. I never want somebody to suffer the heartbreak our family has. I never want another innocent life to be lost over something so careless and preventable. If companies are not going to make sure their animals are fully vetted before selling them, I believe they at least need to disclose a warning before putting other pets at risk.

I will make sure Chewie lives on. He brought me so much love and joy and now I want him to bring awareness to the world. I never want our pain to happen to anybody else. I know my family isn't the first to suffer the effects of unknowingly bringing home a sick pet, but I hope to be the last. Help Chewie live on by making pet stores disclose their animals health history before they're allowed to sell them.

Chewie has crossed the rainbow bridge but he will always be in my heart and he will be in my fight to change the world.