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A Lowe's In Texas Hired A Disabled Veteran AND His Service Dog

December 7, 2016

A Lowe's home improvement store in Abilene, Texas is warming hearts across the nation with its decision to hire its latest two employees: a disabled veteran and his service dog.

Photo: Greg Jaklewicz, Reporter-News

The Abilene Reporter-News reported that Charlotte, a 10-year-old golden retriever, is trained to help her companion Clay Luthy, a former C-130 loadmaster in the U.S. Air Force, if he falls. Due to knee injuries, Luthy has undergone five surgeries and can't bend his left knee at all.

"I got [Charlotte] as a puppy, and she was never supposed to be a service dog," Luthy told KIDY. "I found out a couple years ago she was alerting me, and I didn't even know it."

Jay Fellers, human resources manager at the Lowe's, in Abilene, said the two were the best pair for the job.

We went through the interview process, and Clay and his own merit won the job," Fellers told KIDY. "And we knew he was gonna make a great employee— we just got the benefit of getting Charlotte right along with him."

A photo of Luthy and Charlotte in their red Lowe's vests has gone viral on Facebook, garnering about 136,000 likes since being posted by an Abiliene Lowe's customer on Tuesday.