Photo:Michael Reynolds/EPA/Bloomberg via GettyPresidentJoe Biden’s younger dog Commander was reportedly involved in multiple biting incidents at the White House and in Delaware.Members ofthe U.S. Secret Serviceraised concerns about the German Shepherd in email correspondence that surfaced this week. The Biden family, the Secret Service, and the Executive Residence staff are working together on “additional” training for Commander.In the emails, which the conservative group Judicial Watch obtained through Freedom of Information requests, staffers wrote that the 22-month-old Commander was involved in at least 10 incidents, reportsCNN. A Secret Service officer went to a hospital to be treated for injuries after an incident in November 2022, when Commander reportedly bit the officer’s arm and thighs.In an October 2022 incident, First Lady Dr.Jill Bidenreportedly “couldn’t regain control” of Commander when he charged a Secret Service staffer. “I believe it’s only a matter of time before an agent/officer is attacked or bit,” the staff member wrote in the email, reports CNN.Adam Schultz/The White House via APOther biting incidents reportedly happened when Commander was walking around the White House grounds unleashed, the emails note.“TheWhite Housecomplex is a unique and often stressful environment for family pets, and the First Family is working through ways to make this situation better for everyone,” Elizabeth Alexander, the first lady’s communications director, said in a statement to PEOPLE. “They have been partnering with the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff on additional leashing protocols and training, as well as establishing designated areas for Commander to run and exercise.“The Secret Service treated each incident mentioned in the emails “similarly to comparable workplace injuries, with relevant notifications and reporting procedures followed,” Alexander explained.“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,” Alexander added.The Secret Service is “aware” of the incidents involving the Biden family pets, Anthony Guglielmi, USSS chief of communications, said in a statement to CNN.MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty“For the past several presidential administrations, the Secret Service has navigated how to best operate around family pets and these incidents are no exception. We take the safety and well-being of our employees extremely seriously,” Guglielmi explained. He noted that staffers are encouraged to report job-related injuries.“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,” Gugliemi continued, adding that the Secret Service does not care or handle the first family’s pets. However, they do “work with all applicable entities to minimize adverse impacts in an environment that includes pets.“Biden, 80,introduced Commander to the world in December 2021. He is a gifted purebred who moved into the White House several months after the Bidens' previous German Shepard, Champ,died in June 2021.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The Bidensmoved into the White House with Champand Major,whom they adopted from the Delaware Humane Association in 2018. In early 2021, Major left the White House toundergo training afterseveral “biting incidents” at the White House. Afterward,the Bidens decided Major would not be returning to the White House.“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’s at the time, told PEOPLE. “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.”
Photo:Michael Reynolds/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty
Michael Reynolds/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty
PresidentJoe Biden’s younger dog Commander was reportedly involved in multiple biting incidents at the White House and in Delaware.Members ofthe U.S. Secret Serviceraised concerns about the German Shepherd in email correspondence that surfaced this week. The Biden family, the Secret Service, and the Executive Residence staff are working together on “additional” training for Commander.In the emails, which the conservative group Judicial Watch obtained through Freedom of Information requests, staffers wrote that the 22-month-old Commander was involved in at least 10 incidents, reportsCNN. A Secret Service officer went to a hospital to be treated for injuries after an incident in November 2022, when Commander reportedly bit the officer’s arm and thighs.In an October 2022 incident, First Lady Dr.Jill Bidenreportedly “couldn’t regain control” of Commander when he charged a Secret Service staffer. “I believe it’s only a matter of time before an agent/officer is attacked or bit,” the staff member wrote in the email, reports CNN.Adam Schultz/The White House via APOther biting incidents reportedly happened when Commander was walking around the White House grounds unleashed, the emails note.“TheWhite Housecomplex is a unique and often stressful environment for family pets, and the First Family is working through ways to make this situation better for everyone,” Elizabeth Alexander, the first lady’s communications director, said in a statement to PEOPLE. “They have been partnering with the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff on additional leashing protocols and training, as well as establishing designated areas for Commander to run and exercise.“The Secret Service treated each incident mentioned in the emails “similarly to comparable workplace injuries, with relevant notifications and reporting procedures followed,” Alexander explained.“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,” Alexander added.The Secret Service is “aware” of the incidents involving the Biden family pets, Anthony Guglielmi, USSS chief of communications, said in a statement to CNN.MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty“For the past several presidential administrations, the Secret Service has navigated how to best operate around family pets and these incidents are no exception. We take the safety and well-being of our employees extremely seriously,” Guglielmi explained. He noted that staffers are encouraged to report job-related injuries.“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,” Gugliemi continued, adding that the Secret Service does not care or handle the first family’s pets. However, they do “work with all applicable entities to minimize adverse impacts in an environment that includes pets.“Biden, 80,introduced Commander to the world in December 2021. He is a gifted purebred who moved into the White House several months after the Bidens' previous German Shepard, Champ,died in June 2021.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The Bidensmoved into the White House with Champand Major,whom they adopted from the Delaware Humane Association in 2018. In early 2021, Major left the White House toundergo training afterseveral “biting incidents” at the White House. Afterward,the Bidens decided Major would not be returning to the White House.“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’s at the time, told PEOPLE. “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.”
PresidentJoe Biden’s younger dog Commander was reportedly involved in multiple biting incidents at the White House and in Delaware.
Members ofthe U.S. Secret Serviceraised concerns about the German Shepherd in email correspondence that surfaced this week. The Biden family, the Secret Service, and the Executive Residence staff are working together on “additional” training for Commander.
In the emails, which the conservative group Judicial Watch obtained through Freedom of Information requests, staffers wrote that the 22-month-old Commander was involved in at least 10 incidents, reportsCNN. A Secret Service officer went to a hospital to be treated for injuries after an incident in November 2022, when Commander reportedly bit the officer’s arm and thighs.
In an October 2022 incident, First Lady Dr.Jill Bidenreportedly “couldn’t regain control” of Commander when he charged a Secret Service staffer. “I believe it’s only a matter of time before an agent/officer is attacked or bit,” the staff member wrote in the email, reports CNN.
Adam Schultz/The White House via AP
Other biting incidents reportedly happened when Commander was walking around the White House grounds unleashed, the emails note.
“TheWhite Housecomplex is a unique and often stressful environment for family pets, and the First Family is working through ways to make this situation better for everyone,” Elizabeth Alexander, the first lady’s communications director, said in a statement to PEOPLE. “They have been partnering with the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff on additional leashing protocols and training, as well as establishing designated areas for Commander to run and exercise.”
The Secret Service treated each incident mentioned in the emails “similarly to comparable workplace injuries, with relevant notifications and reporting procedures followed,” Alexander explained.
“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,” Alexander added.
The Secret Service is “aware” of the incidents involving the Biden family pets, Anthony Guglielmi, USSS chief of communications, said in a statement to CNN.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty
“For the past several presidential administrations, the Secret Service has navigated how to best operate around family pets and these incidents are no exception. We take the safety and well-being of our employees extremely seriously,” Guglielmi explained. He noted that staffers are encouraged to report job-related injuries.
“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,” Gugliemi continued, adding that the Secret Service does not care or handle the first family’s pets. However, they do “work with all applicable entities to minimize adverse impacts in an environment that includes pets.”
Biden, 80,introduced Commander to the world in December 2021. He is a gifted purebred who moved into the White House several months after the Bidens' previous German Shepard, Champ,died in June 2021.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The Bidensmoved into the White House with Champand Major,whom they adopted from the Delaware Humane Association in 2018. In early 2021, Major left the White House toundergo training afterseveral “biting incidents” at the White House. Afterward,the Bidens decided Major would not be returning to the White House.
“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’s at the time, told PEOPLE. “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
