On June 19, 2021, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden shared the sad news that Champ, their 13-year-old German Shepherd, "passed away peacefully at home. He was our constant, cherished companion during the last 13 years and was adored by the entire Biden family," they said in a statement. "Even as Champ's strength waned in his last months, when we came into a room, he would immediately pull himself up, his tail always wagging, and nuzzle us for an ear scratch or a belly rub. Wherever we were, he wanted to be, and everything was instantly better when he was next to us."

They continued, "He loved nothing more than curling up at our feet in front of a fire at the end of the day, joining us as a comforting presence in meetings, or sunning himself in the White House garden. In our most joyful moments and in our most grief-stricken days, he was there with us, sensitive to our every unspoken feeling and emotion." 

The statement concluded, "We love our sweet, good boy and will miss him always." As we mourn Champ -- seen here with the president in the Oval Office in February 2021

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