I never thought I would be a victim of abuse or like one of the dogs I had seen in the Sarah McGlaughlin commercials on tv, until I woke up and saw the vets and police around me surrounded by my own blood. A “bundle of joy” my “mother” had called me as a puppy, “how adorable, you are my best friend, I will always love you” she would croon to me. And then one day we both grew up and everything changed, though I did not realize it at the time.

“Will you please take me out Mother? I want to play with you! Look at me, I have a bone in my mouth and I am so adorable,” I playfully barked at Mother. “Not now Lilah, I am busy! But later we can go to the park and we can play on the slide, okay?” Mother quickly explained to me. Normally I knew when to play my enticing eyes on Mother, but this time I tried and she completely ignored me. Something was wrong and I was not sure if it was me or if Mother was actually busy. In the distance, I heard the beeps of numbers being pressed on the phone in Mother’s room. Stealthily without disturbing her I scampered daintily across the carpeted hallway to listen to the conversation.

“Hello? Hi Sheila! How are you? I am doing alright. Would you be able to meet me at the office in an hour to discuss the details for the Wilson-Hodges wedding? Great see you then! And remember, we still have the other wedding next weekend as well. Okay, bye!” Mother hung up the phone and grinned. Nudging my nose into the door and wagging my tail, I ran to Mother to give her some of my kisses to show my love for her. “Hi honey! Yes, you are such a good girl! I










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have to go, but here is a treat for you! Bye!” Mother shouted without giving me a goodbye kiss. Something strange was going on and I need to find out.

Spring always makes me so excited! Afternoon frolics in the park, the ice cream truck, birds, squirrels and rabbits to chase, and most importantly the birthday of when Mother adopted me. March 24, 2003, 1 day, 24 hours, I don’t know how many minutes are left, my brain cannot function that well. Running in circles and then to Mother’s room I hear her speaking on the phone with a giddy tone. “Uh-huh! Oh that sounds amazing Jerry! What time is the concert at? And a picnic? I would love to!” Mother exclaimed and her face turning a tad bit rosier. Who is Jerry? Rushing beside the bed, I begin with my signature grin, then the eyes and finally wag my tail to attract her attention to me. “Lilah, not now! I am busy, go away!”Mother yelled giving me the death stare. She has never given me the death stare and I went to my corner and cowered. She does not like me anymore and I think Jerry is the problem. In about an hour, Mother came out in a playful number with flowers and a big, floppy hat. She looks pretty, and probably for Jerry. He must go, he is stealing my Mother from me.

Gurgle…, grumble…, is that my stomach? I can see my ribs, my left paw hurts, and I smell awful. Where is Mother? The grandfather clock clangs midnight in the living room, a pin could be heard dropping; but no sign of Mother coming home from her date with Jerry. I growled when I heard his name. The air was warm in the kitchen and I needed some fresh air, plus I needed to use the bathroom. If I made a mess Mother would kill me. Limping over to my food and water bowl I licked the remnants of food that had been there a couple days ago. No water. No food. Not anything I could eat. I wanted to scream, cry because Mother does not notice me as her little baby anymore. Scoping out the area my left eye caught a glimpse of Mother’s homemade cinnamon rolls that she made for her meeting with










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Angela tomorrow. I know I should not, but I was so hungry I could say…...Oh what am I thinking? I cannot hide something as obvious as this; I cannot even talk! The minutes tick by and I am still contemplating my dilemma when I remember that I could open up the dog food container with my teeth. Breathe, just breathe Lilah. You can do this, I thought to myself. The plastic tasted waxy in my mouth and my canines started bleeding. Sometimes if you want something desperately you have to go through pain and struggle. With a satisfying pop of the container lid, the aroma of salmon, chicken and beef wafted into my nostrils. Never in my entire life have I appreciated my dog food as much as at that particular time. Squeak! My ears perked up and my nose instantaneously went down on the ground to sniff where the rat was located. In the kitchen I saw the thin, dusty-colored tail of the plump rat sticking out of the pasta cupboard. Slow and steady, soft and stealthy, that is the way I roll. With one paw sticking out I grabbed at the rat but the rat was too quick for my old legs. Bang! Clank! Tomato sauce, pasta, stir-fry sauces and dishware clattered to the ground creating an enormous mess on the wooden floors. Barking I tried to attack the rat to save my house, even though I knew that I would still get in trouble. The rat ran through a hole in a wall that I had never noticed before. Two o’clock in the morning and Mother is still not home; where could she be? I started to worry that she could have been in an accident. If she dies then I will have no one to take care of me. I will have to go to the pound and be stuck without someone to love me. Laughing to myself I thought of how no one even loved me now and I probably would have a much better time at a dog shelter. ‘At least I would have some friends,’ I sighed. My ears perked up to the sound of the garage door opening and car doors closing. Two voices, one deep, one high, two doors closed.












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Jerry…………….! “Honey, where do you want me to put your purse?”Jerry inquired. “In the bedroom dear. I am going to get us some wine from the fridge, just wait a second….” trailing off Mother scanned the kitchen horrified. “Lilah,” Mother yelled! “What happened,” Mother pointed accusingly at me? “Hon I got this, don’t worry. I can take care of the dog,” Jerry stepped in front of Mother. Glaring at Jerry I started to growl and my eyes opened wide with fright and anger for taking my Mother away. Reaching out his hand to hit me and scolding me as well, my mouth displayed all my sharp, razor-like teeth to the enemy. “Ouch! Your devil-dog bit me,” Jerry yelped in pain caressing his arm. Running right behind Jerry, Mother was holding a rolling pin and chasing after me. Pots were thrown, vases shattered, food scattered upon the floor and Mother, her face a shade just lighter than firetruck red. Whimpering, I tried to hide from the wrath of Mother. All of the sudden my knees buckled and I felt a sharp pain in my head, then throughout my entire body. I was weightless, I was free, I was warm. I was in Heaven.

“Do you solemnly swear to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God,” the Plaintiff asked Mother?

“I do,” Mother replied with tears stained on her blouse.

“Jennifer Hilltop is accused of abusing her dog on the night of April 27, 2014. The dog has minor injuries to the brain, broken ribs, slight case of malnourishment and an untreated disease to the left paw exposing bone. Do you deny any of this,” the attorney questioned Mother?

“No. But I never noticed that she was malnourished and she is an old dog. She could have had a bad ribcage to begin with,” Mother defended herself on the stand.

“So you are saying that even though you hit your dog several times, that the injuries that she acquired were not caused by you,” the attorney responded?











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“Precisely, I was trying to defend myself and my boyfriend Jerry because she did bite him first. I did not want her to bite anyone else. I figured she would be better off dead and I might as well end her misery of living since she is extremely old,” Mother shot back at the attorney.

“Ms. Hilltop, you mean to say abusing your dog by trying to kill it was the most plausible conclusion to your dilemma? I do not seem to grasp your logic here,” the attorney fired back at Mother.

“I just wanted the dog to not bite anyone, I did not think that I would get that aggressive and then I saw blood and Lilah lying lifeless on the floor,” Mother started to cry.

“Your honor, I am done questioning. Thank you,” the attorney acknowledged the Judge Whitell.

“In hearing both sides of the case, I hereby call Ms. Jennifer Hilltop guilty of abusing her dog. You will either have to pay a $3000 fine or be in jail for 2 weeks. Also, since you have acknowledged your anger problems I would like you to spend time in an anger management class,” Judge Whitell declared.
I am only worth $3000, a number. I am still invisible, they did not get to hear my side of the story; no voice or opinion. But watching Mother on the tv in the veterinary hospital I saw the tears stream down her face and Jerry grasping her hand for comfort. I never thought I would be in this position ever in my life, but then Mother met someone else she cared for more. I was invisible, unwanted, alone and not cared for. But I was a survivor, not many could say they were strong enough to stay alive. But I am Lilah, a dog that survived abuse and I will never be invisible again.