A family struck by the loss of a son four years ago is hoping they can hold onto the dog that helped keep them together -- they just can't convince SEPTA to let them.

Abal, a shepard that works in the transportation system's police department, has lived with Officer Richard Galanti's family for five years.

But late last month, the officer got notice of an impending transfer to patrol, and it came with the news that he would have to surrender his partner, who also happens to be the family pet.

But Abal is more than just a partner to Galanti -- and much more than a pet to his family, who live in Wenonah, in Gloucester County. His mere presence in their home, the family says, has helped the them to heal.

In 2014, they lost Ben, a 14-year-old freshman at West Deptford High School, when he was hit by a car while riding his bike.

Abal loved Ben, said the boy's mother, Nicole Galanti. He was visibly depressed after the teen died, she said.

The family launched a change.org petition, which had garnered more than 8,000 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon. It's addressed to SEPTA Transit Police Chief Thomas J. Nestel III.

The campaign, though, hasn't been enough to convince SEPTA to let Abal stay with the family, and the heartbroken officer surrendered Abal to a kennel on his way to work Tuesday morning.

Losing Abal is one heartache. But Galanti said her husband has been transferred without a stated reason, and that Abal was being ripped away from the family despite their offer to replace him with another K9.

The family has offered to buy the department a new dog, at the hefty price tag of more than $7,000, but says the department has refused.

Cole Galanti, 10, and Abal.

"I don't understand it at all," she said in a phone interview Tuesday. "It makes no sense to me.

"Leading up to the day, I just have been throwing myself into the petition and Twitter and trying to get the attention of any senators or council people," she said. "So that's pretty much what we've been doing. It really didn't register until today that the dog is gone."

Her son, 10-year-old Cole, was crying while watching cartoons Tuesday, she said. Her daughter, a 20-year-old Stockton student, Julianna, is devastated as well.

Officer Galanti has worked with K9s for more than a decade, and the family had another dog, Zora, for more than 10 years, Nicole Galanti said. When the department retired Zora, she came home to live with the family until she died.

In a letter released on Twitter by Nestel, the SEPTA chief, he wrote that dogs placed with officers are not guaranteed for life, and that moving Abal would allow him to continue to serve for several years.

"By reassinging Abal, this exceptional working dog will quickly train another police officer how to be part of an exemplary K9 team," he wrote. "While this was a difficult decision, it was the right one for a new and eager handler, our riders, but most importantly, for Abal."

Carla Showell-Lee, SEPTA's media relations director, said she could not comment on Galanti's transfer, as the authority does not publicly address personnel decisions.

"We just want people to know that this is more about the fact that Abal is not a family dog," she said. "He has years of good service ahead of him. We didn't want to deny a healthy, trained, working dog the right to continue to serve."

Abal is six years old, she said. The department usually only retires dogs who are 9 or older.

"We're happy to say that the officer is still working with SEPTA transit police," she added. "And we're happy to say that Abal is still working."

For the family, the fight isn't over. Nicole Galanti said she will keep pushing the petition and use social media to draw more attention to the cause.

"It's sad enough when you lose a dog, they're your family pet," she said. "To just have them taken away, it's so hard. So now we're fighting to get Abal back."

Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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