International Desk

The Biden's family pet Commander went out last year, one week after a Secret Service agent required medical attention for a serious chomp.

Secret Service records show the extent to which German shepherds caused havoc among the president's bodyguards.

A senior agent noted that the bite meant the Secret Service had changed tactics, advising agents to "give them plenty of space."

This warning came months before the Commander was removed from the White House.

The documents were revealed through Freedom of Information requests and posted online. They are heavily redacted to protect the identity of Secret Service agents and secrecy of their security tactics.

They say at least 24 biting incidents occurred between October 2022 and July 2023, including incidents in which Secret Service members were bitten on the wrist, forearm, elbow, lower back, chest, thigh, and shoulder. This indicates that the person was bitten.

The document covers only the Secret Service, not other employees working in the White House or staff at Camp David in Maryland, and therefore does not necessarily document all biting incidents involving Commander. do not have.

The June incident resulted in a "deep bite" to the agent's forearm that required stitches. A tour of the east wing of the building was halted for 20 minutes after bloodstains were found on the floor in one area of the White House, one document said.

In July, another agent was bitten in the hand and required six stitches. The email said the bite caused a "severe, deep open wound" and the pathogen "began to lose significant amounts of blood."

The drug was given a "small care package" by a coworker that included painkillers, antibiotic ointment, pepper spray, a muzzle and dog biscuits "just to be on the safe side."

An anonymous senior agent said in an email that agents protecting Mr. Biden and his family "must be creative in ensuring our own 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.

First lady Jill Biden's office said in a statement to CNN that it tried a number of steps to address the issue but abandoned them in the fall, sending President Biden to live with relatives. .

“Despite additional dog training, leash management, cooperation with veterinarians, and consultation with animal behaviorists, the White House environment simply proved too much for Commander," a statement said.

Another pet dog, Major, injured a Secret Service agent in 2021 and was transported to Delaware.