Anastasia + Polina

Anastasia served her country proudly as a United States Navy maintenance technician for seven years, deploying to the waters off Africa, the Middle East, and the Pacific: including Guam and Japan. But after trading her uniform for civilian life, she found herself struggling with the transition so many veterans know all too well.

She had heard about our service dog program before. She had even applied. But something held her back, a quiet, persistent voice telling her that another Veteran deserved it more. With encouragement and patience, our team gently helped Anastasia see what we already knew: she was exactly who this program was made for. She applied once more and was accepted without hesitation.

Anastasia met three incredible trainees: Forrest, Polina, and Lady. She adored all three, but Forrest was a bit too large for her lifestyle, and while Lady was wonderfully sweet, it was Polina who kept drawing her back, a charming, small lab with a big personality. (And don’t worry — Forrest and Lady are thriving too. Forrest graduated with his veteran just a month ago, and Lady is now serving as a Morale Dog aboard the USS Boxer.) On March 19th, 2025, Anastasia and Polina officially became a team.

Polina herself had quite the origin story, found as a stray by Riverside Animal Control before being transferred to our friends at Labs & More, her journey to Anastasia was made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Red Star Sponsor, Linden Root Dickinson Foundation.

Together, the two dove into training across Oceanside, including sessions along the harbor, building real-world confidence, sharpening skills, and deepening the bond that would carry them forward. 

Since passing their Public Access Test, Anastasia and Polina are absolutely thriving. Their upcoming graduation will be celebrated surrounded by Anastasia’s friends and Polina’s sponsor, a full-circle moment for two souls who found exactly what they needed in each other.