Biden, Who Mocked Trump's Lack of Pets, Boots Dogs From White House After 'Biting Incident'
President Joe Biden, who criticized former President Donald Trump for not having pets while in office, has kicked his dogs out of the White House.
The two German shepherds, Major and Champ, were sent back to the Biden family home in Delaware last week after one displayed aggressive behavior, CNN reported.
Major, who was adopted in November 2018, had a “biting incident” with a member of White House security, according to the network.
Although the exact circumstances and the condition of the victim have not been revealed, the incident was serious enough that the dogs have been sent back to Delaware.
During his campaign, Biden said, “it says a lot” that Trump did not have a pet.
“Some Americans celebrate #NationalCatDay, some celebrate #NationalDogDay — President Trump celebrates neither. It says a lot,” Biden wrote in a 2019 Twitter post.
“It’s time we put a pet back in the White House.”
Some Americans celebrate #NationalCatDay, some celebrate #NationalDogDay — President Trump celebrates neither. It says a lot.
It’s time we put a pet back in the White House. pic.twitter.com/6za6FUocfh
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 29, 2019
Trump was the first president since William McKinley to not own a pet dog during his time at the White House, the Washington Examiner reported. (McKinley, the 25th president, served from 1897 until his assassination in 1901.)
Champ and Major moved into the White House in January, less than a week after Biden’s inauguration.
“I’ve been getting obsessed with getting our dogs settled because we have an old dog and we have a very young dog,” Jill Biden told Kelly Clarkson last month during an appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,“according to CNN.
“They have to take the elevator, they’re not used to that, and they have to go out on the South Lawn with lots of people watching them. So that’s what I’ve been obsessed with, getting everybody settled and calm.”
The biting incident was not the first time 3-year-old Major has displayed agitated behavior, people familiar with the dog’s demeanor told CNN.
The younger of the two Biden dogs has been known to jump, bark and “charge” at staff and security at the White House.
The dog was also the cause of Biden’s foot injury in November, according to CNN, which required Biden to wear a corrective boot.
A person familiar with the pets said that the two dogs like to stay together, as Major was adopted in part as a companion to keep 13-year-old Champ active.
“We got Major, he’s a rescue dog. We asked the vet, ‘What can we do to keep Champ going?’ and he said, ‘Get him a young dog.’ They’re buddies,” Biden told reporters as he walked with the two German shepherds on Valentine’s Day.
According to CNN, a person familiar with the dog’s schedule confirmed that the dogs are in Delaware but noted that they sometimes would spend time there when Jill Biden is out of town.
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