LISA JOHNSON GATES

ALL FOR THE LOVE OF DOGS

“You need to get that dog on leash! All dogs must be under voice control!” The officer barked at me as his horse pranced around like he was doing a bad version of the Irish Jig. The officer was a tall, heavy-set man. He had large hands, a tire of fat circling his mid section ready to burst through…

THE DAY MY PARENTS LIED TO ME

It was a sunny April afternoon when I first realized that animals are more trustworthy than people. The day my parents first lied to me. It was the beginning of my learning to cover up for everyone else’s bad behavior, in order to keep the peace, setting up a lifetime of people-pleasing that…