1 of 6 | Sully, the service dog for former President George H.W. Bush, walks with the Americans with Disabilites group after they viewed the coffin of the 41st president as he lies in state at the U.S. Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday Photo by Pat Benic/UPI |
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Dec. 4 (UPI) -- George H.W. Bush's service dog, Sully, is performing the last of his duties to the late president by attending memorial events in his honor, but after the holidays, he'll be back on the job assisting others in need.
The dog -- whose full name is Sully H.W. Bush -- stole hearts earlier this week when Bush spokesman Jim McGrath posted a photograph of the 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever napping on the ground in front of Bush's casket. The 41st president died Friday at the age of 94.
"Mission complete," McGrath wrote in the tweet.
Sully also made an appearance Tuesday at the Capitol rotunda, where Bush's casket was lying in state.
The former president adopted Sully in June to assist him with tasks. Bush had been in a wheelchair in recent years due to symptoms from Parkinson's disease.
America's VetDogs, the organization that trained Sully as a service dog, said that after Bush's funeral events, the Labrador will return to the organization's Smithtown, N.Y., facility for a temporary stay. After the holidays, he will join the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's Facility Dog Program, where he will assist injured veterans with physical and occupational therapy.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Bush family during this difficult time," said John Miller, President and CEO of America's VetDogs. "It was truly an honor to have provided service dog Sully to be by the president's side for the past several months.
"As a true patriot and a visionary, President Bush will forever be viewed by people with disabilities and their families as a hero through his efforts to enact the Americans with Disabilities Act. We are forever grateful to his service to the American people."
