Dear Governor Wolf,

Today she would’ve been a year old. On December 1, 2019 my fiancé (now husband) and I walked into the Palmer Park Mall to purchase a mirror. I remember the day so clearly because that day marks the birthday of my first border collie ever, Brit. So, there we were walking into the mall and I glanced into The Pet Shop proceeding to say to my husband, “these places shouldn’t have dogs or cats, such poor conditions.” To my surprise all the way across the shop a little head popped right up and looked right at me, and before my husband could stop me, I was holding her. At the time her name was Pixie, but we changed it to Luna, and she was a beautiful border collie puppy. Though this went against everything we stand for, we purchased her, I’d like to say rescued, and brought her home.

Within hours she was coughing, so we immediately took her to Warren Animal Hospital, which is where Palmer Park Mall’s The Pet Shop recommends you take your pet for a “free” check-up if something goes wrong. There were no tests done, no blood work (despite my request), the Veterinarian simply performed a physical checkup. We were told she only had kennel cough and put her on antibiotics. Her symptoms were worsening and within a few days we took her to HanoverView Animal Hospital (our regular Veterinarian) where they performed blood work, x-rays and more tests. I’ll never forget the night our vet called us from her home, off her private phone number to talk with us about all our options. Luna had been diagnosed with Bordetella and the Distemper virus, and her prognosis was very grave. All the veterinarians at HanoverView worked tirelessly for weeks to help us. Towards the end of her life I had to learn how to inject her with subcutaneous fluids, she went blind and she couldn’t walk. I remember calling our vet and having to ask her for the “green light,” because we couldn’t be selfish anymore. Luna’s central nervous system completely failed her; the virus won.

We spent THOUSANDS of dollars to keep her alive, but with tears running down my face I sit here and type to you we had to put her down in our home at only four months old. She was ONLY FOUR MONTHS OLD! She was more than a puppy, she was our best friend, our companion, our child, our world. She filled our home with warmth and love and touched the lives of so many people even though her time here was so brief. After her death I tracked down her breeder and confirmed my suspicions, she had come from a puppy mill out in Colorado. She was treated as one of thousands of animals that’re just commodities; not true, pure and unconditionally loving creatures. Therefore, I ask of you, Governor Wolf, please ban the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits from pet shops in Pennsylvania. California, New York, Maryland and Delaware have prohibited the sale and we need to be next. I am mindful that your plate is full, but I beg you to think about your family and how you would feel if this was your puppy. Imagine all the families going through the pain and agony we felt? Please think this over, please prohibit the sale of these animals in pet shops. Please don’t let our Luna die in vain and though she may be at peace now, no animal, let alone a young animal, deserves the same fate she met. Ban the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in Pet Shops Governor Wolf, and end the relentless, cruel chain connected to puppy mills in our wonderful, beautiful state of Pennsylvania.

Thank you so very much,

Alexandria Garin
Bethlehem, PA