Commander, the dog belonging to the Biden family, has been removed from the White House due to a string of bite incidents. The fate of the two-year-old German Shepherd is not yet determined, according to a spokesperson for First Lady Jill Biden.
The previous week, Commander bit a Secret Service member who needed fast medical attention as a result of the bite. It was the eleventh time the dog had bitten a security guard working at either the White House or the Delaware family house.
Wednesday's statement from White House spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander mentioned that the President and First Lady care profoundly about the safety of White House employees and those who protect them daily.
They remain appreciative of the US Secret Service's and everyone else's forbearance and support as they continue to pursue solutions. Commander is not currently on the White House grounds while the next course of action is evaluated. She did not specify where the dog currently resides or whether it will return to the White House.
The statement was issued shortly after sources reported that Commander had been involved in more than the 11 incidents of biting that the Secret Service had publicly acknowledged.
It said the real figure was higher, with one bite requiring hospital treatment and others needing medical attention from on-site staff. The press secretary of the White House has previously attributed the assaults to the strain of living in the residence.
In July, Karine Jean-Pierre stated, "As you all are aware, the White House complex can be quite unique and demanding." "Consequently, you can only assume what it is like for family pets and family pets in general," she concluded.
Following the incidents of biting, White House officials stated in the same month that they were attempting new training techniques with Commander.
A conservative organization was able to get Secret Service documents that describe Commander's involvement in a number of events involving biting by making a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
According to the contents of an email, it took place on October 26, 2022, when First Lady Jill Biden was unable to regulate Commander. She mentioned that Commander charged at her.
Again, after a week had passed, a second cop came forward to say that they had been bitten twice.
According to a second officer who was present throughout the incident and witnessed it, the officers had no choice but to use a "steel cart to shield" themselves from the dog.
The Biden family is the proud owner of two German Shepherds, and one of them is named Commander.
Major is the younger of the two dogs and the first rescue dog to live in the White House. He was also involved in a number of incidents involving Secret Service personnel. These occurrences occurred when Major was in residence at the White House.
In the year 2021, he was provided with supplementary training and dispatched to live apart from the White House with family friends of the Bidens.