George H.W. Bush‘s beloved service dog Sully will not be going home with one of the Bush family members.
“Later this week, Sully will return back to America’s VetDogs in Smithtown, New York, for a temporary stay throughout the holiday season before joining the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s Facilities Dog Program,” the statement read.
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“Sully will be working alongside fellow VetDogs facility dogs SGT Dillon and SGT Truman who are there to assist with physical and occupational therapy to wounded soldiers and active duty personnel during their journey to recovery at Walter Reed Bethesda,” the statement continued. “America’s VetDogs has placed physical and occupational therapy dogs at military medical centers to work with service members recovering from amputations or other injuries. Through retrieval, bracing, and innovative tug-of-war exercises, these dogs work with service members as they adapt and work with their new prosthetic limbs.”
Sully’s next handler has yet to announced but the person could be one of the Active Duty Corpsman and Medics.
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Jim McGrath/Twitter
Sully was first placed with Bush in June 2018 and was specifically matched with the late commander-in-chief to provide support during his daily activities.
On Sunday, George W. Bush honored Sully in a heartwarming tribute along with a poignant photo of the dog guarding his former owner’s flag-draped casket. “As much as our family is going to miss this dog, we’re comforted to know he’ll bring the same joy to his new home, Walter Reed, that he brought to 41,” the 43rd president wrote on Instagram.
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“Sully has the watch,”addedBush’s sonJeb Bush, a former governor and presidential candidate.
Longtime Bush spokesperson McGrath alsotweetedthe same photo, writing, “Mission complete. #Remembering41.”
In June, Bushannounced— two months after his wife, former First LadyBarbara Bush,died at age 92 in April— that he had teamed up with Sully. “A great joy to welcome home the newest member of our family, ‘Sully,’ a beautiful — and beautifully trained — lab from @AmericasVetDogs,” Bushwrote on Twitter. “Could not be more grateful, especially for their commitment to our veterans.”
Evan Sisley
Sully, who is named after Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III, the pilot who safely landed a plane on the Hudson River in 2009, was specially trained to accommodate Bush’s needs. He learned the ropes from incarcerated people in VetDogs’ prison puppy program until he was 15 months old.
On Nov. 1, Sullyjoined Bush on his final public outingwhen they headed to the polls to vote in the midterm elections along with former White House chief of staff Jim Baker.
Sully’sInstagram biowas also updated following Bush’s death. “A kinder, gentler labrador— making my forever home at Walker’s Point,” the bio reads.
On Monday, Bush returned to Washington for the final time, starting a four-day memorial period. His casket departed from Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston and ittraveled to the U.S. Capitol Building Rotundawhere it will remain Monday evening until 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. The public is invited to pay their respects.
Bush’s state funeralwill be heldat the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET. In a presidential proclamation, PresidentDonald Trumpdeclared that Wednesday would be dedicated to Bush’s memory and that flags should be lowered to half-staff in his honor for 30 days.
source: people.com
