Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush passed away on Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. Now, pictures of his service dog, Sully, are touching hearts all over the internet.
Sully was seen looking on as the 41st president lay in state, looking sadly at his owner’s casket. He seemed to know that his old friend was there beneath the American flag.
Some people might say that Sully doesn’t know what’s really going on, but experts say that that’s not actually the case. Dogs know when their owners have died, and just like humans, they mourn and miss them.
In fact, our canine friends can even show physical signs of grief, just like humans can.
They might refuse to eat, lose weight, or act restless or depressed. They can also lose interest in their usual activities and be unusually tired.
“Dogs are highly intuitive and sensitive, more than people give them credit for,” said Jme Thomas, executive director at Motley Zoo Animal Rescue.
People all over the internet are touched by the pictures of Sully lying in front of his owner’s casket and looking tired as he stretches out on a bed with some of the former president’s possessions.
Sully served as a service dog for Bush for a short period.
He was trained by America’s VetDogs, which trains service dogs for disabled American veterans. Now, he’ll be sent to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s Facility Dog Program after services for the former president are complete.
Sully joined the Bushes as a service dog in June 2018 to help the former president cope with medical issues and the loss of his wife. Former First Lady Barbara Bush died in April at the age of 93.
He was led into the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday, Dec. 4, to view the president’s body lying in state.
Sully obediently followed his leader. He stood quietly beside the casket for a few moments before lying down on the floor.
Immediately, news organizations around the country began to publish pictures. The most poignant was an Instagram post with the caption “Mission accomplished.”
They might not have had a lot of time together, but from June to November, Sully was by Bush’s side every day to help guide him through his daily tasks.
Sully wasn’t just adopted — he was specially matched to the former president based on Bush’s needs and medical history.
Bush had been experiencing problems with his blood pressure and had been unusually tired. He had also just lost his wife, Barbara, in April after 73 years of marriage. The answer to some of these problems was Sully.
“A great joy to welcome home the newest member of our family, ‘Sully,’ a beautiful — and beautifully trained — lab from @AmericasVetDogs,” reads a tweet from the 41st president’s account in June. “Could not be more grateful, especially for their commitment to our veterans.”
Sully was presented to Bush at his home in Walker’s Point by a friend: former President Bill Clinton.
Although he was a service dog, he also quickly became a friend, guiding Bush through his day. At the president’s last appearance in public — a polling station during the midterm elections at the beginning of November — Sully lay patiently on the floor while his owner cast his vote.
Now, the yellow lab is on his way to continue to help other disabled veterans. The Bush family says they will miss the yellow Labrador and fondly remember him as a wonderful friend and companion.
“As much as our family is going to miss this dog, we’re comforted to know he’ll bring the same joy to his new home, Walter Reed, that he brought to 41,” wrote former President George W. Bush in an Instagram post.
Experts say it’s difficult to describe the relationship between a service dog and their handler.
They completely rely on one another all day, every day, which makes for an incredibly deep relationship. So, it’s completely reasonable to assume that Sully is grieving the loss of his friend that he spent so much time with.
Joseph Agustin, one of the founders of the Warrior Mission Ranch, a program for service dogs, said seeing the pictures of Sully tells him the dog was doing a great job.
“When I look at [the picture] as a professional dog handler, the dog is doing its job,” Agustin said. “That’s what he’s supposed to do, and that’s what the dog wants to do.”
In short? Sully is a very good boy.
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