Former Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill adopted a new furry family member last month and the Internet couldn’t keep up with the cuteness.
The Bidens are long-time animal lovers who reached out to the Deleware Humane Society after they posted a photo of a litter of German Shepherd puppies who had been surrendered by their owner and were not doing well.
The puppies had been exposed to something toxic in their home and the owner wasn’t able to keep up with the veterinary bills.
The Bidens immediately hopped into action and offered to foster one of the pups. “The rest is history!” said the organization in a Facebook post.
The Bidens released a statement, co-signed by their long-time pet German Shepherd, Champ:
“We are so happy to welcome Major to the Biden family, and we are grateful to the Delaware Humane Association for their work in finding forever homes for Major and countless other animals.”
Here’s a photo of Champ from 2012:
After fostering Major, the Bidens simply couldn’t give up the 10-month-old pup.
“The Bidens have gotten to know Major while fostering him and are now ready to make the adoption official. Best of luck and thank you for being one of our Friends for life!”
When Biden went in to fill out the paperwork, he was all too happy to chat and pose for photos with the shelter workers.
Here he is with Cathy, the women who completed the adoption paperwork:
Our hearts are melting over all the smiling going on.
It’s clear that Major got some good training with the Bidens and was happy and social around all the workers and photographers.
And the volunteers who first accepted the puppies got to see how well Major was doing after his early ordeal.
We’re pretty sure Major knows just how lucky he is to find his forever home with the Bidens. He walked out of the shelter with some serious swagger.
In case you’re looking for a German Shephard of your own, they make fiercely loyal and protective companions, according to the American Kennel Club.
While they can commonly be found assisting police officers and the military because of their ability to learn commands, the breed was originally created to herd sheep.
“[Their] now-famous qualities—intelligence, agility, speed, stealth, and the overall air of firm authority—were forged not in the police academy but in the sheep pasture.”
Unfortunately, because these dogs are sometimes trained to be guard dogs, they’ve earned a reputation for being aggressive. But like any dog, that’s not part of their nature. Nonetheless, some shelters are hesitant to take on the breed because of their low chances of being adopted.
Because the dogs are so common, they are often available in shelters (even purebreds), so there’s no reason to buy one from a breeder. There are German Shepherd rescue organizations all over the country and dozens of websites available to match you to your perfect pet.
Just remember that adopting a pet is a long-term commitment. With German Shepherds, potential owners need to be aware that they can act like puppies up until around the age of 3. Males can grow up to weigh 88lbs and females around 71lbs.
Their average lifespan is 9-13 years old, so even if you’re adopting a puppy, you need to make sure you’re up for 10+ years of commitment.
Of course, if you are, you’re rewarded with a wonderful, loyal, and adorable companion.
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Source: Huffington Post
