Major (Joe Biden's dog)

Major
Major in 2021
BreedGerman Shepherd
SexMale
Born (2018-01-17) January 17, 2018 (age 6)[1]
Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Years active2021
Known forUnited States presidential pet
TermJanuary 20, 2021 – December 21, 2021
SuccessorCommander and Willow
OwnerBiden family
AppearanceBlack with pale tan markings

Major (born January 17, 2018) is a German Shepherd owned by Joe Biden's family.[2][3] Major, who was born in 2018, is the first shelter dog to live in the White House.[4][5] Previously, President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie had owned two German Shepherds.[6]

Major was a rescue from a litter that had been exposed to "something toxic" in their home,[1] and their owner was unable to afford the expense of veterinary care for them.[4][6] He was fostered by the Bidens earlier that year from the Delaware Humane Association's shelter and has been with them since late 2018. On the day Joe Biden adopted the dog from the shelter, he stayed "telling stories and taking selfies with staffers" for over an hour.[4] The origin of Major's name is not publicly known, but Beau Biden, Joe Biden's son, was a major in the Delaware National Guard.[6][7][8]

  1. ^ a b Armus, Teo (November 9, 2020). "Dogs are returning to the White House: Biden's German shepherds, including the first shelter pup". The Washington Post.
  2. ^ Sophie Vershbow (November 7, 2020). "Another Great Thing About Biden's Win: There's Going to Be a Dog in the White House Again!". Vogue. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  3. ^ Morales, Christina (November 8, 2020). "Biden to Restore a White House Tradition of Presidential Pets". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Wertheim, Bonnie (November 10, 2020). "Dog People Are Loving This (at Least Some of Them)". The New York Times. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  5. ^ Slater, Georgia (November 7, 2020). "President-Elect Joe Biden's German Shepherd Major to Be First Rescue Dog in the White House". People. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c Dareh Gregorian (November 10, 2020). "Biden's bringing the big dogs to the White House — German shepherds Champ and Major". NBC News. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  7. ^ "US election: Champ, Major and other White House pets". BBC News. November 11, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  8. ^ Mizoguchi, Karen (November 17, 2018). "Joe Biden Adopts German Shepherd Named Major from Delaware Shelter: 'We Are So Happy'". People. Retrieved November 7, 2020.