Dr. Anthony Galzarano has always been a law-abiding citizen. He tries his best to set a good example for his two children. That is why he is so conflicted about the stand he is taking.

“On the one hand, I want my kids to respect the law. On the other hand I want them to have the courage of their convictions and the character to face the consequences without wavering. I’m sick, though, over the possibility of going to prison and leaving my wife and children to fend for themselves. But how could I face them if I back down?”

The doctor is talking about his determination to treat a rabbit in spite of state laws that prohibit him, as a Doctor of Chiropractic, to treat animals. “I know the Veterinary Board is going to come down hard on me. The law is clearly on their side. Don’t get me wrong. I have a ton of respect for veterinarians. They are caring people and do a lot of good. This is simply outside of their usual scope. There are issues here that the average veterinarian just doesn’t look at. I feel that my 25 years as a chiropractor makes me better equipped to deal with this.”

When asked to elaborate on these issues, Dr. Galzarano replied: “I treat many people who routinely lift and carry heavy loads. For example, I treat letter carriers who carry forty pounds of mail for several hours, block after block. This can wreak havoc on not only the shoulders, but also the lower back. Imagine a poor rabbit doing the equivalent of that for miles. The stress on its back is severe, especially since it does it all while standing on its hind legs!”

“I also have many patients who have upper back and neck pain as well as headaches from sitting for hours at a time looking at a monitor or doing close work at a desk or workbench. Picture yourself doing that with a pair of tall, heavy ears on top of your head. It makes me hurt just thinking about it!”

“Numbness in the hands and fingers is another problem. It is sometimes correctly diagnosed, but often misdiagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome. This problem is common among those who have to do repetitive movements with the hands such as working at a keyboard or assembly-line. What if they had to do similar work, but with paws?!”

“Every day I bring relief to people with back and neck pain, headaches, and carpal tunnel syndrome, even sciatica and disc problems. Doesn’t this poor rabbit deserve the same? Doesn’t the joy he brings to children every year around Easter count for something? How would you feel if you had to decorate several million eggs, then get up on your hind legs and carry them in a wicker basket for a couple of hundred thousand miles? And don’t forget all the stooping and bending involved in hiding them all. Let them throw me into jail! If the rabbit comes to see me I WILL TREAT HIM!!”

It doesn’t look as though the doctor is going to back down from this controversy. If you would like to voice your support for him, or if you too are suffering from a painful condition, you can call him at his office, Wissahickon Chiropractic, at (215) 483-3200. You can also contact him through his website: http://www.wissachiro.com

He is passionate about his position and is available for interviews.

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