When the Journey Is Complicated: How Elena Found Safety With Her Service Dog by Her Side
When Elena called our hotline, she had already survived far more than most people could imagine. Years of familial trafficking. Deep trauma. Debilitating medical issues. And the constant fear that no one would ever believe her story.
But perhaps the most visible sign of her fight for survival was never far from her side: a 150-pound Great Pyrenees service dog named Osito. He wasn’t just a companion — he was her lifeline. He helped her stand, walk, steady herself when her body gave out, and even guided her through panic and trauma episodes. They were inseparable.
For six nights, Elena had been living inside the San Francisco airport. Exhausted. Hungry. Surrounded by people, yet completely alone. She knew she needed a safe place where she could begin healing, but no one seemed willing or able to take her — not with her level of trauma, not with her medical needs, and certainly not with a massive service animal by her side.
When she finally reached Rescue America, she was worn down, overwhelmed, and struggling to trust anyone. But she still had hope. She still believed someone might help.
Complex Needs, Closed Doors
From the very beginning, it was clear that Elena’s journey wouldn’t look simple.
She suffered from osteoarthritis, degenerative bone and joint disease, chronic pain, severe allergies, mobility issues, and intense trauma symptoms. She couldn’t sit upright for long. She needed consistent rest. She needed Osito for basic mobility — and she refused to be separated from him, because she couldn’t be.
Many shelters simply aren’t equipped for survivors with complex medical needs or large service animals. Again and again, the answer was no.
Still, our team refused to give up.
Coordinating the Impossible
What unfolded over the next several days was one of the most complicated logistical rescues we faced all year. Elena’s transportation options were limited:
Commercial flights required ID, which her traffickers had stolen and manipulated.
Private pilots had restrictions on dog size and space.
Buses wouldn’t allow a dog his size unless he could fit under three rows of seats — impossible.
But God was opening doors we couldn’t see yet.
A safe home in Washington — Turning Pointe — agreed to accept her. They held a bed. They made room for Osito. They just needed her safely transported across two states.
That’s when partner organizations stepped in. Freedom Aviation coordinated the flight details. TSA leadership at SFO arranged an escort to get her through checkpoints without traditional ID. Our team worked around the clock to secure service-animal paperwork, accessible seating, and mobility accommodations.
Even something as simple as getting her from the airport to the safe home was a challenge. Ride-share services wouldn’t take a 150-pound dog. Specialized vans weren’t available. For two hours, our team called every transportation provider in the region until finally — one accessible taxi agreed to make the nearly two-hour drive.
Obstacles kept coming. But so did solutions.
And then, on April 21, Elena landed in Washington — with Osito safely beside her. For the first time in a very long time, she wasn’t just surviving.
She was arriving somewhere safe.
A New Beginning
When the staff at Turning Pointe welcomed her, they didn’t see a burden. They saw a woman who had fought hard to stay alive. They saw a survivor whose needs were valid, whose story mattered, and whose healing could begin.
Elena finally had:
A safe bed
A team who understood trauma
Space to stabilize physically and emotionally
A community who embraced her and her service dog without hesitation
Her journey is still ongoing, and it will take time — real healing always does. But today, Elena is no longer in an airport, no longer alone, and no longer invisible.
She is seen. She is supported. And she is safe.
And this is why Rescue America exists.
Every rescue isn’t simple. Many take days of coordination, dozens of calls, and creative problem-solving across multiple partners. But survivors like Elena deserve someone who won’t give up.
Because when the world says “too complicated,” we choose to say “worth it.”
Your generosity makes stories like Elena’s possible.
If you or someone you know have been sexually exploited and want out of the life, please call Rescue America’s 24/7 Rescue hotline number at 833.599.FREE.
To report a trafficking tip, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888.373.7888.
Save these numbers on your phone for later reference!
