The first dogs have finally arrived!
On Sunday, PresidentJoe Biden’s two German Shepherds,Champ and Major, officially moved into the White House.
Champ and Major are the first pooches tolive in the White House in four years, as former PresidentDonald Trumpwas the first president to not have a dog since President William McKinley in 1897, perCBS News.
Adam Schultz/Official White House
Major is making history as thefirst rescue dog to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The Biden familyadopted Majorfrom the Delaware Humane Association (DHA) in November 2018, 10 years after they welcomed their first German Shepherd, Champ.
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President Biden and Dr. Biden got Champ around Christmas 2008 and brought the beloved pet with them to the vice presidential residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory during former Vice President Joe Biden’s two terms with former PresidentBarack Obama. Champ got his name from the nickname Biden’s father gave him when he was a boy.
Both Champ and Major are making their presence known at their new home. The dogs could be heard barking in the background following a press conference from the Oval Office,according to a tweetfrom C-SPAN Communications Director Howard Mortman.
Overall, over 7,400 animal lovers attended the event, which raised awareness about what shelter pets are capable of and raised over $200,000 for DHA. The rescue plans to use the donations to provide relief to pet owners struggling to care for their animals during theongoing coronavirus pandemicand to help adoptable pets find homes.
Thomas Jefferson was the very first president to ever keep a pet in the White House, housing a mockingbird and a couple of bear cubs while he was in office.
Dr. Biden also hinted that she and the president would be looking to get a cat, as well. “Well, I’d love to get a cat. I love having animals around the house,” shetoldFox 5’s Angie Goff in November.
source: people.com
