Sully (dog) facts for kids
Sully in 2018
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| Species | Canis lupus familiaris |
|---|---|
| Breed | Labrador |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | July 14, 2016 |
| Occupation | Service dog |
| Employer | Walter Reed National Military Medical Center |
| Named after | Chesley Sullenberger III |
Sully (born July 14, 2016) is a special Labrador Retriever dog. He works as a service dog helping military veterans who have disabilities in the United States. Sully became very well known for helping former president of the United States, George H. W. Bush, during the last six months of his life. He also gained international attention for his role during President Bush's state funeral.
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Sully's Early Life and Training
Sully was born in 2016. He was trained by a charity called America's VetDogs. This organization teaches dogs to help people.
Sully learned many important tasks. He could fetch items, answer a telephone, and even get help in an emergency. He was assigned to help President George H. W. Bush in the summer of 2018. This happened through a special program for veteran service dogs at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Sully was named after Chesley Sullenberger III, a famous pilot. Sully even had his own Instagram page where people could follow his life and work with the Bush family.
Honoring President Bush
After President Bush passed away, Sully traveled with the former president's remains to Washington, D.C.. This was for the state funeral, a special ceremony to honor a president. A photo of Sully sleeping next to President Bush's coffin in Texas became very popular online. It was shared on Twitter and received hundreds of thousands of likes.
Sully also visited the Capitol rotunda. This is where President Bush was lying in state, meaning his coffin was placed there for people to pay their respects. After the funeral events, Sully was set to return to an America's VetDogs facility in New York. From there, he would go back to helping veterans at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Sully's Important Work Today
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President Bush wanted Sully to continue helping others. So, in February 2019, Sully joined the Facility Dog Program at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. During his "Welcome Aboard Ceremony," Sully was given a special rank: Hospital Corpsman Second Class (HM2). He has since been promoted to 1st Class (HM1).
His trainer, Valerie Cramer, explained Sully's important job. She said Sully visits injured veterans. He helps make them feel better during their rehabilitation sessions. He also spends time with their families during what can be a very difficult time.
Sully's Statue
America's VetDogs decided to create a life-size bronze statue of Sully. The sculpture was made by Susan Bahary. It was revealed on December 2, 2019. You can find this statue at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum at Texas A&M University.
See also
- List of individual dogs
- List of Labrador Retrievers
