Joe Biden Just Adopted An Adorable Shelter Dog

The former vice president has been fostering Major, a German shepherd, and decided to make things permanent.
Joe Biden walks out of the Delaware Humane Association with his canine pal Major.
Joe Biden walks out of the Delaware Humane Association with his canine pal Major.
Steph Gomez via Delaware Humane Association

Joe Biden is welcoming a furry new member to his family.

On Saturday, the former vice president and his wife, Jill Biden, adopted a German shepherd named Major from the Delaware Humane Association, the animal shelter posted on social media.

Biden and Major, two buds.
Biden and Major, two buds.
Steph Gomez via Delaware Humane Association

The Bidens had already been fostering Major for the shelter and decided to adopt him permanently. The Delaware Humane Association wrote that Major came from a litter of puppies that someone had surrendered to the shelter who were “not doing well at all.” After the shelter posted about the pups on social media, the former vice president “caught wind of them and reached out immediately.”

The association said in a statement sent to HuffPost that all of Major’s five siblings have also found homes.

Major and his siblings when they were young puppies just surrendered to the shelter.
Major and his siblings when they were young puppies just surrendered to the shelter.
Steph Gomez via Delaware Humane Association

Multiple photos on the group’s Facebook page show Biden posing with the dog, including one of the pair apparently looking at photos of Major when he was a small puppy.

“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,” said Joe and Jill Biden and the family’s other German shepherd, Champ, in the association’s statement.

Champ, the Bidens' other German shepherd, at the Naval Observatory in 2012.
Champ, the Bidens' other German shepherd, at the Naval Observatory in 2012.
Win McNamee via Getty Images

When the family got Champ in 2008, Joe Biden received some criticism from animal welfare advocates for going to a high-volume breeder rather than a shelter or rescue group.

On Saturday, though, many were praising the Bidens for opting to adopt from a shelter.

Patrick Carroll, executive director of the Delaware Humane Association, said it was “an honor” to send Major to the Bidens.

We wish the happy new family the best!

This story has been updated with new photos and a statement from the Delaware Humane Association.

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