Sully H. W. Bush (born July 14, 2016) is a Labrador Retriever employed as a service dog for disabled military veterans in the United States. He served with the former President of the United States

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...

during the last six months of his life, until the 41st President's death on November 30, 2018. He received international attention for his role during the President's state funeral.

Early life and training

Sully was born in 2016; his mother was Roxanne. Upon leaving his brood, he was trained by the charity America's VetDogs to perform a two-page list of commands, which includes fetching items, answering a telephone, and summoning help in an emergency. He was assigned to assist George H. W. Bush in the summer of 2018 through the dog's participation in a veteran service dog program at the

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center The Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), formerly known as the National Naval Medical Center and colloquially referred to as the Bethesda Naval Hospital, Walter Reed, or Navy Med, is a United States' tri-service military medi ...

. According to America's VetDogs, Sully was named after former U.S. Air Force officer and US Airways pilot Chesley Sullenberger III. Sully received early attention from his own Instagram page covering his life and work with the Bush family.

Death of George H. W. Bush

Following the death of President Bush, Sully accompanied the 41st president's remains to Washington, D.C. for the

state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of Etiquette, protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive ...

. A photo posted to Twitter by Bush spokesman Jim McGrath showing the dog sleeping next to the coffin containing Bush's remains in Texas attracted more than 230,000 likes in two days. Sully also visited the Capitol rotunda where Bush was lying in state. According to reports, he was to be returned to an America's VetDogs facility in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

during the Christmas season before being placed back into rotation in the service animal program at the

Subsequent service

Washington Nationals Visit USO (5314030) (cropped)

In accordance with President Bush's wishes, as of February 2019, Sully joined the

's Facility Dog Program in Bethesda, Maryland. Following his "Welcome Aboard Ceremony", Sully was given the rank of Hospital Corpsman Second Class (HM2) and has since been promoted to 1st Class (HM1). His trainer, Valerie Cramer, stated that "Sully will visit injured veterans, helping to provide comfort during rehabilitation center sessions and visit with families during what can be an emotional and very difficult time".

Statue

A life-size bronze statue of Sully was commissioned by America's VetDogs. The sculpture, created by Susan Bahary, was unveiled on 2 December, 2019 for the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum at Texas A&M University.

References

{{George H. W. Bush, state=collapsed 2016 animal births Assistance dogs George H. W. Bush Individual animals in the United States Individual dogs

Early life and training

Death of George H. W. Bush

Subsequent service

Statue

See also

References