President Joe Biden’s dog Commander in Washington, DC in August 2022.Photo:MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty
PresidentJoe Biden’s younger dogCommanderbit anotherU.S. Secret Serviceofficer earlier this week.
President Joe Biden with Commander.Adam Schultz/The White House via AP
Adam Schultz/The White House via AP
In the email correspondence, the staffers alleged that Commander was involved in at least 10 incidents, reportedCNN. “I believe it’s only a matter of time before an agent/officer is attacked or bit,” one staff member claimed.
One email showed that a Secret Service officer went to a hospital to be treated for injuries after the German shepherd reportedly bit the officer’s arm and thighs in November 2022.
In an October 2022 incident, Commander charged a Secret Service staffer and First Lady Dr.Jill Bidenreportedly “couldn’t regain control.”
“For the past several presidential administrations, the Secret Service has navigated how to best operate around family pets and these incidents are no exception,” Guglielmi said in a July statement toCNN. “We take the safety and well-being of our employees extremely seriously.”
“As such, we are aware of past incidents involving first-family pets, and these instances were treated similarly to comparable workplace injuries, to include with relevant notifications and reporting procedures followed," the statement continued.
Guglielmi explained that the Secret Service does “work with all applicable entities to minimize adverse impacts in an environment that includes pets,” but they do not care for or handle the pets.
After this week’s report, a Biden spokesperson released the following statement: “As we’ve noted before, the White House can be a stressful environment for family pets, and the First Family continues to work on ways to help Commander handle the often unpredictable nature of the White House grounds. The President and First Lady are incredibly grateful to the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff for all they do to keep them, their family, and the country safe.”
The Biden family welcomed Commander to the White House inDecember 2021. His White House arrival followed the death of Biden’s previous German shepherd, Champ, whodied in June 2021.
Biden, 80,tweeted, “Welcome to the White House, Commander,” along with a photo of the puppy running with a tennis ball in his mouth.
The Bidens adopted Major from theDelaware Humane Association in 2018, but after residing in the White House for a short period he was removed from the residence due to several “biting incidents.” In early 2021, Major was then rehomed and nowresides with family friends of the Bidens.
“After consulting with dog trainers, animal behaviorists, and veterinarians, the First Family has decided to follow the experts' collective recommendation that it would be safest for Major to live in a quieter environment with family friends,” Michael LaRosa, a spokesman for Dr. Jill Biden at the time, toldPEOPLE. “This is not in reaction to any new or specific incident, but rather a decision reached after several months of deliberation as a family and discussions with experts.”
source: people.com
