Good Boy, Biden! Plans To Adopt Golden Playmate for His Shepherd

Whether he did it because of the backlash or because he was sincere in wanting to adopt another one, good boy, VP!

Now the pressure will REALLY be on for his boss (President Elect Obama) to adopt. My prediction now (Monday, Dec. 22nd, 2008) is that the Obamas will adopt a 'rescued' Golden Doodle puppy from a puppy mill or suspected on, or perhaps one may just 'show up' at a rescue group (ahem.)

Hard to find for a mere mortal, true, but I'm sure his Presidential search team is already on it.


Courtesy of Delaware Online (delawareonline.com)

December 20, 2008

Biden announces family will adopt pound puppy, too

By CRIS BARRISH
The News Journal

Vice President-elect Joe Biden, who took heat from animal-rights advocates for buying a German shepherd puppy from a breeder this month, is looking for a second pooch -- and this time it will be a pound puppy.

Biden revealed his canine intentions during an interview on the ABC News show "This Week with George Stephanopoulous" that will air Sunday at 9 a.m.

Stephanopoulous -- who also spoke to Biden about such topics as his priorities as vice president, his historic campaign with Barack Obama and the economy -- blogged about the dogs Friday.

"I've had German shepherds since I was a kid and I've actually trained them and shown them in the past," Biden said during the interview, according to the ABC News blog. "So I wanted a German shepherd and we're going to get a pound dog, which my wife wants, who is hopefully a golden [retriever]."

The dogs will live at the vice president's residence with a spacious fenced yard in Washington, Biden said.

The longtime Delaware senator also indicated the new dog will be picked out any day, telling Stephanopoulous he expects his grandchildren to name both dogs on Christmas morning.

Biden spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander dismissed any notion that Biden was bowing to pressure from groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

After Biden got the shepherd at a Chester County, Pa., kennel, the group's president said: "By paying money to a dog breeder, the Bidens have in effect signed a death warrant for a loving dog at an animal shelter who would have been thrilled to go home with them.''

Taking home a shelter dog was always Biden's intention, Alexander said.

"When the Bidens have had dogs in the past, they've gotten two so they could play with each other,'' Alexander said Friday night. "As he mentioned, they are in the process of looking for the second dog, from a rescue shelter, which was always their plan.''

Shelter and rescue advocates in the region praised Biden's decision.

"That's terrific,'' said Jane Pierantozzi, executive director of Faithful Friends, which operates a no-kill shelter near Newport and encouraged Biden to choose from a Delaware shelter. "I honestly think some people don't realize the plight of homeless and abused pets."

The Faithful Friends shelter frequently has Golden Retriever mixes. "The shelters get great animals,'' she said.

Robin Adams, president of the Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue, said Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell has adopted at least two dogs from her shelter near Lancaster.

Adams encouraged Biden to ask his friend and fellow Democrat Rendell "about our organization and the efforts we go through her to make sure we match the right dog to the right family.''

Robin Heinecke, president of the Golden Retriever Rescue Education and Training group that serves dog-seekers from Washington to Pennsylvania, said she was heartened by Biden's decision.

"When I saw that he got a puppy, I thought he should have rescued a dog,'' Heinecke said."It's an idea I come to love. A golden retriever for the vice president would be a lovely thing.''

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20081220/NEWS02/812200319