JAKARTA - President Joe Biden's dog, Commander, has bitten or attacked Secret Service officers at least 10 times between October 2022 and January 2023, including an incident that caused injured officers to be taken to hospital, according to records from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The conservative supervisory group Judicial Watch on Tuesday released nearly 200 pages of Secret Service records it obtained through a lawsuit against the Freedom of Information Act.
They filed a lawsuit after the agency, a division of the DHS, "failed to respond adequately" to its request last December, to obtain records of the biting incident involving the herd dog.
The group said it submitted the request after receiving information about the Commander's behavior.
The commander is President Biden's second dog to behave aggressively, including biting down on Secret Service personnel and White House staff. Previously, there was a dog of the same type called Major who was eventually sent to live with his friends in Delaware after the incident.
Elizabeth Alexander, communications director for first lady Jill Biden, said in an email the White House complex was a "unique environment and often stressful" for family pets, with President Biden's family looking for ways to make this situation better for everyone, as quoted by the Associated Press July 26.
Meanwhile, Anthony Guglielmi, chief spokesperson for Secret Service, said in a separate email that his agency over the past few presidents had "visited the best way to operate around family pets and this incident was no exception. We take the safety and well-being of our employees very seriously."
It is known that Secret Service provides security protection for the president and his family, and a number of his officers are stationed around his large executive and courtyard homes.
On November 3, 2022, a Secret Service official sent emails to his colleagues, the Commander has bitten a two-time officer - in the upper right arm and thigh. The staff of the White House's medical unit treating the officer decided to take the officer to the hospital.
A captain from the Uniforms Division emailed that day, saying he had been notified that the Commander had been vaccinated.
A note the following day added details about the attack, including that the officer who was bitten used a shield to protect himself from another attack. The officer was then placed in limited duty for several days based on the doctor's advice.
Alexander said President Biden along with Secret Service and White House residence staff coordinated "regarding additional strap protocol and training" for the Commander, as well as building a special area where he can run small for exercise.
"The president and first lady are very grateful to Secret Service and Executive Residence staff for everything they do to maintain their safety, family and state," added Alexander.
Guglielmi said Secret Service officers were encouraged to report work-related injuries to their immediate superiors for appropriate documentation.
"Thus, we recognize that there have been incidents in the past involving pets of the president's family and these cases are treated similarly to injuries at comparable workplaces, to be included with relevant notifications and reporting procedures being followed," he explained.
"Although special agents and officers do not care for or treat the first family pets, we continue to work closely with all applicable entities to minimize the adverse effects in the environment involving pets," added Guglielmi.
The Commander himself is often seen being carried around by the head of the White House yard guard.
Separately, Sara Amundson, head of the government's Humane Society of the United States relations and president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, said dog bites could occur for various reasons.
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According to him, the possibility of dog bites can be reduced by understanding the signals that dogs send when in an uncomfortable situation, to getting rid of anything that causes fear or stress.
But sometimes, even changing the dog's environment may not be enough to prevent them from biting.
"In such a situation, seeking the help of an experienced professional coach in overcoming dog aggression and using humane methods is very important," Amundson said by email.
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