One of the most difficult aspects of being discharged from the military is the ever looming battle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that so many soldiers have to deal with. The usual remedy for this disorder is prescribed medications to control the mood swings, anxiety, and other symptoms that it causes.
But the medications have a multitude of harmful side effects that are often worse than the disorder. Because of this, many veterans have enlisted the help of service dogs to calm down their angry outbursts or moments of anxiousness. The dogs go everywhere with the vets, but this makes finding a job difficult, since most businesses have a strict policy against animals. But a store in Abilene, Texas, has decided to change that by employing a vet and his service dog.
Clay Luthy got his service dog named Charlotte not long after being discharged from the Air Force. She helped him get through his toughest days of PTSD. To earn a little extra money, Luthy did odd jobs for people. This allowed him to have his dog with him all the time. One day, he was shopping at Lowe’s for supplies for a job when he saw a sign that they were hiring.
Unsure if they would give him a chance, he spoke with the manager who encouraged him to apply. Just four weeks later, Luthy and Charlotte were hired on as a team. Charlotte even got her own vest to wear. The customers love to come up and pet her while she stays near Luthy at the paint counter. But she is still always alert to any signs that Luthy is in distress.