Joe Biden dog Commander bit Secret Service agents at least 24 times
Newly released documents reveal that President Joe Biden’s dog, Commander, bit US Secret Service agents on no fewer than 24 occasions.
Records from the US Secret Service detail the significant disruptions caused by the German Shepherd to the presidential security detail.
A senior agent highlighted that these biting incidents prompted a change in tactics, with agents instructed to maintain ample distance from the dog.
This cautionary measure was implemented months before the Commander was eventually removed from the White House.
The documents, obtained through Freedom of Information requests and shared online, have been heavily redacted to safeguard the anonymity of Secret Service agents and the confidentiality of their security strategies.
They outline a series of biting episodes occurring between October 2022 and July 2023, with Secret Service personnel being bitten on various body parts including the wrist, forearm, elbow, waist, chest, thigh, and shoulder.
It is important to note that the documented incidents may not encompass all biting occurrences involving the Commander, as they solely pertain to the Secret Service and do not encompass incidents involving other White House personnel or Camp David staff in Maryland.
The Biden family’s pet left the White House in October last year, one week after a Secret Service agent required medical treatment for a severe bite.
A previous incident in June led to a “deep bite” on the forearm of an agent, who needed stitches. Blood on the floor in an area of the White House caused tours of the East Wing of the building to be suspended for 20 minutes, according to one document.
In July, another agent was bitten in the hand and required six stitches. The bite caused a “severe deep open wound” and the agent “started to lose a significant amount of blood”, one email showed.
This agent was given a “small care package” by colleagues as a present including painkillers, antibiotic ointment, pepper spray, a muzzle, and dog biscuits “for safety purposes”.
An unnamed senior agent in one email advised that agents protecting Mr. Biden and his family “must be creative to ensure our safety”.
“The recent dog bites have challenged us to adjust our operational tactics when Commander is present – please give lots of room (staying a terrain feature away if possible),” the agent wrote.
