"Commander is not presently on the White House campus while next steps are evaluated," First Lady Jill Biden's spokesperson Elizabeth Alexander said in a statement late Wednesday. The White House did not say where the Biden family dog was or what other actions were being taken.
After the first dog's eviction, footage has emerged of Biden kicking his dog. Some have suggested that it isn't a "kick" in anger, saying that Biden just tripped up or simply using his leg to herd the dog into the vehicle. There had also been news that Biden broke his ankle pulling his dog's tail after a shower. Also, Judicial Watch, an American conservative activist group that files Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits to investigate claimed misconduct by government officials, reported that the president abuses his dog. The group's source disclosed that it has learned he has punched and kicked his dogs.
REPORT: President Biden has “mistreated” his dogs by punching and kicking them according to sources close with Judicial Watch.
Biden’s dogs are just like his son: Poorly trained.
Documents from the United States Department of Homeland Security, reveal injuries from attacks… pic.twitter.com/dDGRuYxc1P
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 6, 2023
The organization has also obtained records from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in which Secret Service officers discuss Biden's dogs after a Nov. 3 biting incident. "Doing alright [redacted]? That's freaking crazy that stupid dog – rolling my eyes [redacted]," asked the first officer. "My leg and arm still hurts. He bit me twice and ran at me twice," the victim replied. To which the first officer responded: "What a joke [redacted]… if it wasn't their dog he would already have been put down – freaking clown needs a muzzle – hope you get to feeling better [redacted]."
Commander was given to Biden as a puppy in December 2021 and is the president's third dog at the White House. Another German Shepherd named Major, was sent away at age three following several biting incidents in 2021, while an older shepherd named Champ, died.
According to Alexander, "The president and first lady care deeply about the safety of those who work at the White House and those who protect them every day. They remain grateful for the patience and support of the U.S. Secret Service and all involved, as they continue to work through solutions."
However, Axios reported that both Commander's and Major's attacks on Secret Service agents have been well documented, but the extent of the dogs' aggressiveness toward the White House residence staff has not been reported previously. "Many members of the residence staff, the several dozen people who maintain the White House as housekeepers, curators, chefs, butlers, carpenters, and more, have been fearful of Major and Commander, the younger dog who remained at the residence," the media website revealed. Additionally, a former White House official who regularly interacted with both dogs told the outlet that the first family and their inner circle refused for months to take any corrective action to protect the agents and staff, until recently.
The Bidens owe it to their family, their staff, and their own dogs to take corrective action for their dogs' behavior and recognize how critically important an immediate solution is. Their refusal to do so after rehoming Major, and then their decision to acquire yet another rescue German shepherd and then refuse to train or correct his behavior, speaks volumes about their personal commitment to accountability, Fox reported.
PETA: Biden's dog "wants to protect family"
Meanwhile, nonprofit organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has defended Biden's dog, saying Commander was just trying to "protect his family." PETA said: "Commander may live in the White House, but he's just like any other dog who wants to protect his family and feels stress when approached by a flurry of unfamiliar faces."
The nonprofit also called on all families with dogs to use positive reinforcement to help animals adjust to new circumstances.
Moreover, the Atlantic's Elaine Godfrey also wrote an article highlighting that the presidential dog's life may have been hard in the White House and it is not its fault that his biting became a political liability.
"Even on a normal day, the scene can be a chaotic sensory overload for a dog: Rotating members of the Secret Service detail, uniformed and not, stand outside every room, earpieces in, eyes darting, faces unsmiling; aides fly through doorways with varying degrees of excitement and alarm, waving papers. The first family is always leaving on trips and official visits; sometimes they bring the dog; other times they leave him behind in the care of a butler or an operating engineer, who is on-site around the clock. All of this is difficult for a human to adjust to, let alone a dog with limited English comprehension who cannot understand that his owner is the most important person in the Western world," the article stated. (Related: Secret Service admits it found marijuana twice at the White House in 2022.)
Godfrey concluded that with better training and more attention, Commander might have been able to stay in the White House and become an emblem for the president, something happy and sweet for the American people to latch on to. Sadly, it became a workplace hazard, an unfortunate headline, and now an exile.
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