According to a CNN report, US President Joe Biden's family dog, Commander, bit Secret Service officials 24 times in the White House and other locations. Archives maintained by the US Secret Service reveal the extent of the German Shepherd's mayhem for the presidential bodyguards. A senior agent noticed that the Secret Service had changed its strategy and recommended officers to "give lots of room". Written to their team in June 2023, the US Secret Service Presidential Protective Division's special agent stated, "The recent dog bites have challenged us to adjust our operational tactics when Commander is present - please give lots of room." In order to protect our own personal safety, agents "must be creative," he said.
This warning was given months before the dog's removal from the White House following many reports of bites. US: Secret Service Agent Bitten by President Joe Biden's Dog at White House, Officer Receives Medical Care.
According to the updated documents received via a Freedom of Information Act request, there were at least 24 incidents of biting between October 2022 and July 2023, with Secret Service members being bitten on the wrist, forearm, elbow, waist, chest, thigh, and shoulder. It's possible that not all German Shepherd bite incidences are included in the records because they exclusively concern the Secret Service and do not involve personnel from the White House or Camp David in Maryland.
The report claims that a Secret Service agent expressed concern in October 2022 about the behaviour of the family dogs and the possibility that "something worse was going to happen to others." 'Commander' Removed From White House: US President Joe Biden's German Shepard Dog No Longer in WH After Multiple Biting Incidents.
An agent needed sutures in June 2023 after suffering a "deep bite" on the forearm. The East Wing of the White House was closed for 20 minutes due to blood on the floor in one part of the facility. In July, one agent had a bite to the hand that required six stitches. According to an email, the agent's bite caused a "severe deep open wound," which led to "a significant amount of blood loss." A week after one agent needed medical attention for a serious bite, the commander departed the White House in October 2023. In December 2021, the dog became a member of the family as a puppy.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 22, 2024 10:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).