Service dog and training provided by Operation Freedom Paws.

“I have more confidence with Joplin. I’m able to go out in public. Before, I would stay in my house and not really do a lot. She helps me with my anxiety, navigating through crowds. If I’m in a grocery store she can block all around me, making room, so people aren’t so close to me. She knows when I’m anxious because I’m either not breathing right or my mind goes somewhere else. She alerts me to that either by jumping on me or rolling on her back. She’ll lean against me for pain, from injuries that I’ve had, and reminds me I need to take a break, sit down. We had a little trust issue for a while until we figured out that we could trust each other. She makes me feel secure, you know. She’s got my back. Our bond is unbelievable.”

-Regina Gamboa