Danyelle Clark-Gutierrez and her service dog, Lisa, shop for food at a grocery store. Clark-Gutierrez got the yellow Labrador retriever to help her cope with post-traumatic stress disorder after she experienced military sexual trauma while serving in the Air Force.
Stephanie O’Neill for KHN
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Stephanie O’Neill for KHN
Danyelle Clark-Gutierrez and her service dog, Lisa, shop for food at a grocery store. Clark-Gutierrez got the yellow Labrador retriever to help her cope with post-traumatic stress disorder after she experienced military sexual trauma while serving in the Air Force.
Stephanie O’Neill for KHN
It’s supper time in the Whittier, California, home of Air Force Veteran Danyelle Clark-Gutierrez. Eagerly awaiting a bowl of kibble and canned dog food is Lisa, a three-year-old, yellow Labrador Retriever.
Lisa almost dances with excitement, her nails clicking on the kitchen floor. In this moment, she appears more like an exuberant puppy than an expensive, highly-trained service animal. But that’s exactly what Lisa is, and she now helps Clark-Gutierrez manage her post-traumatic stress symptoms in the day-to-day.
“Having her now, it’s like I can go anywhere,” Clark-Gutierrez says. “And yes, if somebody did come at me, I’d have warning; I could run.”
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