Joe Biden lost a loved one: I will miss him

Sylvie Claire / June 20, 2021

The Biden family is in mourning. The American president announced the sad news this Saturday, June 19 on Twitter

Our hearts are heavy today, reads the statement shared by President Joe Biden on his Twitter account. His family has indeed just lost a loved one, our beloved German Shepherd, Champ, who died naturally at home. He was a loyal, cherished companion for the past 13 years and was adored by the entire Biden family.

Jill and Joe Biden adopted Champ as a puppy shortly after Barack Obama was elected. Even though Champ's strength was slowly waning in recent months, when we walked into a room, he would immediately stand up, his tail still wagging, and snuggle up to us to get a pat on the ear or belly. Wherever we were, he wanted to be there, and everything was instantly better when he was next to us.

Champ and the couple's other dog, Major, had marked the return of dogs to the White House, four years after the departure of Bo and Sunny, companions of the Obama family. Donald Trump had thus interrupted an old tradition by spending his entire term in Washington without a pet.

The Biden's other dog, Major, the first presidential pet to pass through a shelter, has been in the news much more than Champ since Joe Biden's term began. He bit two White House staffers within weeks of each other, so much so that the animal was sent for training.