Dog Saves America
Animal lovers and fur-babies alike are celebrating more than the return of presidential pets to the White House after four years. President Biden’s young German shepherd, Major, has made history as the first rescue pet to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, marking a monumental moment for shelter dogs.
To celebrate this milestone, the Delaware Humane Association and Pumpkin Pet Insurance co-hosted a virtual “indoguration” event on January 17th stating, “Major Biden is barking proof that every dog can live the American dream.” The event, hosted on Zoom, had over 7400 attendees and raised $200k in donations, which the rescue organization plans to use to continue raising awareness about local animal shelters, and to support pet owners struggling to care for their fur-babies during the COVID pandemic.
Major’s story goes back to 2018, when a liter of six sick German Shephard puppies arrived at the Delaware Humane Association (DHA). “They had gotten into a toxic substance. We’re not sure what,” Patrick Carroll, executive director at DHA, told NPR. After being treated at the shelter, the puppies soon recovered, and the Delaware Humane Association began their search for foster homes.
When Ashley Biden came across DHA’s Facebook post about the German shepherd pups in need of homes, she shared it with Joe Biden, who had been looking for a companion for their older German shepherd, Champ. On Easter morning, Biden showed up at the shelter and was united with, the now “first dog,” who we know as Major.
“This is shining a light on all of the resources animal shelters bring to a community,” Carroll said. “If you need pet food because you’re struggling, or you need low cost vaccinations to keep your pet healthy, all the things people need, they should see their shelter as a resource.”
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