The Biden family dog Commander watches as President Joe Biden departs from the White House in Washington, D.C., to attend G7 summit in Germany, on June 25, 2022.
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has sent a second German Shepherd dog off of White House grounds following at least a dozen biting incidents involving White House personnel.
“Commander is not presently on the White House campus while next steps are evaluated,” Elizabeth Alexander, a spokeswoman for First Lady Jill Biden, said in a statement. She did not specify Commander’s current location.
Alexander said the Bidens “care deeply about the safety of those who work at the White House and those who protect them every day,” including the U.S. Secret Service and White House staff.
The White House announced Commander was sent away after the Daily Mail published photos of Commander where he appeared to be biting a longtime groundskeeper.
The groundskeeper described the incident as playful and said the dog did not break the skin or apply pressure, according to the first lady’s office.
But at least one Secret Service officer sought medical attention after being bitten by Commander, one of at least 11 previous incidents reported last month by CNN, which was also first to report the two-year-old dog’s removal from the White House complex.
The Biden family welcomed Commander in 2021 after another of their dogs, Major, was moved out of the White House after biting multiple people.
The Bidens also adopted a cat, Willow, after entering the White House — though the cat was kept at the home of a previous spokesman to the first lady for months before actually joining the family at the executive residence.
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Originally published at Tribune News Service