NEW YORK – Late President George H.W. Bush’s service dog, Sully, has been honored by The American Kennel Club as the recipient of the 2019 AKC Paw of Courage award.
The award recognizes Sully for his loyalty, dedication and distinguished service, according to a news release.
Sully is a 2 ½ year-old Labrador retriever that was paired with the former president in June 2018 to provide assistance and companionship for his daily activities.
When Sully’s duties were complete after the president’s passing, he joined the Walter Reed Bethesda Facility Dog Program as a Navy hospital corpsman second class, to help provide interactive care for patients and staff in their road to recovery.
"The devotion and comfort that dogs provide their owners goes unmatched," said AKC President and CEO Dennis Sprung. "Sully served the late President George H.W. Bush honorably; providing him support and assistance, but even more importantly, love and companionship. The 2019 AKC Paw of Courage gives us an opportunity to pay tribute to the devotion that Sully brought to the late President in the final months of his life."
Sully will receive a 2019 AKC Paw of Courage medallion and an engraved plaque.