I have a strong relationship with my dog. She is my lifeline. She is the shoulder I cry on. She is my favorite thing on this earth.  

I can understand why some people don’t show emotion to their pets. To some, they’re just fur-balls, but to me they’re more than that. They have feelings. They show joy, anger, sadness and laughter.

As a member of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) rescue team, I have the opportunity to help animals in my community who have been abused. When someone calls me in, I investigate someone’s suspicion or report of animal abuse. I’ve seen neglect, abuse, starvation and so many more heartbreaking scenes of mistreated animals, but there is always a story behind every situation.

My story with Jessie, my wonderful Texas heeler, goes way back.

On June 28, 2015 I found my best friend. I was struggling with friendships at the time, so having someone to talk to whenever I was having a bad day was amazing. Later on I struggled with myself. I never thought I was good enough, but I had my trusty sidekick there by my side to tell me it was going to be alright. Now, I have my adopted daughter beside me whenever I need her. Jessie saved me. I was drowning in dark thoughts. I thought that I would never get the life I dreamed of– I still don’t have my entire life planned out, and that’s okay. Except I do know one thing: I never wanted to see my dog hurt.

Jessie was in a car accident recently and her left shoulder was left open with a gaping wound. It was around 9 p.m., so almost every Veterinarian Hospital was closed. So here I was, sitting beside my pride and joy, who was in unbearable pain. Eventually, we found a Vet who could heal her, but that night was a wake up call. I need to appreciate everything my dog has helped me with, and I need to love her even more because you never know what could happen.

I’m still in a loss of words from what I saw that night. Seeing her in pain made me have a complete mental breakdown. I was constantly crying, even after she was okay. My entire body was shaking in fear of the worst. All I could think about was negative things. Will we ever find a Vet? What if I lose her overnight? Will I ever get my precious canine back? I hear my dog whimpering behind me, but I couldn’t stand to see her while she was hurt. I felt like my brain was draining and I was no longer who I used to be. I was a pitiful dog mom, that couldn’t even toughen up to help her own child.