Owen Lima has been having a hard time getting a job because, due to a brain injury he suffered when he was a teenager, he needs to be accompanied by a service dog. Lowe’s Canada, however, decided to hire not only Owen but his dog, too.
"When we were starting our hiring fair for this store, he came to our office and asked if he could apply for a job, and we said of course," Paolo Gallo, the store’s manager told BuzzFeed Canada. The only extra thing that the dog, named Blue, really needed was a blanket for him to rest. That's it. But Lowe's also made him a custom vest so he could greet the customers together with his human as they arrive at a new hardware store in North Regina, Saskatchewan.
"Owen’s been in this community for a very long time, so a lot of the customers who shop in our store know him," said Gallo. "The customers are happy that he actually has a job, and they’re happy that we took the dog in with him."
"It's so hard to find a job where people can accept me for the way I am and the fact that I have a service dog with me"
For the last decade, Owen couldn't find a job where he would be always treated equally
Due to his brain injury, Owen can have difficulties understanding people so his dog Blue calms him down and prevents anxiety attacks
The two now greet customers and manage carts at Lowe's: "I’m just so happy to work here (and) so happy to be treated like a normal person"
