US: Joe Biden's dog removed from White House for biting staff
Thursday, 5 October 2023 (14:58 IST)
US President Joe Biden's pet dog has been removed from the White House, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The dog was removed for biting several White House and Secret Service staff members.
The Bidens have sent the two-year-old German Shepherd, named "Commander," to an unknown location as the White House considers the "next steps" to be taken.
What else do we know about the White House biting incidents?
The Secret Service said that Commander had bitten 11 of its agents. The CNN broadcaster reported that the number of government staff bitten by the dog was higher.
"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," Elizabeth Alexander, communications director for Biden's wife Jill, said.
"They remain grateful for the patience and support of the US Secret Service and all involved, as they continue to work through solutions," she said.
"Commander is not presently on the White House campus while next steps are evaluated," she said, without providing further details.
The statement came hours after White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked by reporters during a daily press briefing about allegations that Commander had recently bitten a White House employee.
White House head groundskeeper nipped
In response, the first lady's office said that the White House's head groundskeeper was playing with the dog and that no skin had been broken in a nipping incident that was photographed by a tourist.
The last time the dog was seen at the White House was September 30.
This is the second Biden pet to be removed from the White House over its behavior, with the German Shepherd Major being sent to live with family friends in the northeastern state of Delaware.
The Bidens have previously cited the "stressful" environment at the White House as the reason for the biting incidents.
