US President Joe Biden, on Saturday, along with First Lady Jill Biden, announced the death of Champ, one of their two German shepherds, describing him as a "cherished companion" and a "sweet, good boy."
According to Fox News, in an official statement, Bidens said, "Our hearts are heavy today as we let you all know that our beloved German Shepherd, Champ, passed away peacefully at home. He was our constant, cherished companion during the last 13 years and was adored by the entire Biden family."
"Even as Champ's strength waned in his last months, when we came into a room, he would immediately pull himself up, his tail always wagging, and nuzzle us for an ear scratch or a belly rub. Wherever we were, he wanted to be, and everything was instantly better when he was next to us."
Champ loved racing to catch their grandchildren as they ran around their backyard in Delaware, and chasing golf balls on the front lawn of the Naval Observatory.
"In our most joyful moments and in our most grief-stricken days, he was there with us, sensitive to our every unspoken feeling and emotion. We love our sweet, good boy and will miss him always," the statement concluded.
Biden brought two dogs, Champ and Major, to the White House this year. Champ had been living with the Bidens since 2008 and was reportedly named by the president's granddaughters. 'Major' was adopted in 2018 and is the first rescue dog to live in the White House.
In March, both dogs had returned to the White House after being sent to the family home in Wilmington, Delaware, for what the White House described as a pre-planned trip.
As per Fox New, this came after reports that Major had bitten a member of the White House security team and had been barking and lunging at other staffers. There had been no reports of bad behaviour from the older Champ.
( With inputs from ANI )
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