Texas Lowe’s Hires Disabled Vet And His Service Dog

After a photo of a disabled veteran and his service dog working at Lowe's were shared on social media, the photo went viral.

A viral photo out of Texas is bringing a warm, fuzzy feeling to people everywhere this holiday seasons. Facebook user Judy Dechert Rose posted a photo on December 4th after her trip to her local Lowe's Home Improvement store. The customer saw a employee, a disabled veteran, working with his service dog by his side. Rose posted up the photo to her Facebook page and it has been shared over 180,000 times. She wrote about the photo:

I love Abilene Lowes, way to go! This is a disabled vet who struggled to get a job because he needs his service dog! Lowes hired them BOTH!!

According to the Abilene Reporter-News, the employee is Clay Luthy, a former C-130 loadmaster int he U.S. Air Force and the dog is his companion, 10 year-old golden retriever Charlotte. Luthy has had knee injuries in the past and has undergone five surgeries. Because of these injuries, he is unable to bend his left knee at all. Charlotte is there to help him if he falls.  Luther says he got Charlotte as a puppy and was never supposed to be his service dog. A few years after getting the dog, he noticed that she could alert him before a fall happened.

Jay Fellers, the human resources manager at Lowe's in Abilene, told KIDY that the store hired Luthy because he was the best man for the job.

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

Luther said that he was shocked by his viral fame.

"By the time I looked at it, there was 1,000 comments on it. Oh my gosh, it was ridiculous. I found a way to have a productive life and my prescription is four-legged.”

Luthy also said that getting his service dog changed his life for the better, and he believes more veterans should consider getting a service dog.