大象传媒

Joe Biden's dog Major had his very own indoguration!

Joe Biden's dogsImage source, Instagram/@DrBiden
Image caption,

The Biden family has two dogs - Major and Champ

Now you maybe enjoyed the glitz and glamour of Joe Biden's US Presidential Inauguration on 20 January 2021, but it wasn't the only big White House event this week.

There was also a very special ceremony for Major, Mr Biden's dog, which raised more than $200,000 (around 拢146,000) for charity.

The German shepherd was adopted by the Biden family from the Delaware Humane Association (DHA) in 2018 and has become the first dog from a shelter to live in the White House.

The DHA decided to honour the presidential pooch to mark the occasion and hosted a virtual 'indoguration' (yep that's meant to be the dog version of an inauguration....!) on Sunday 17 January, just a few days before the new president's own ceremony.

Image source, Delaware Humane Association

The event, which was held over Zoom, was been described as the "world's largest virtual party for dogs".

The fundraiser told Major's story - his rise from former shelter pup to First Dog.

More than 7,400 animal lovers attended the event, which raised awareness about what shelter pets are capable of and raised more than $200,000 for DHA.

The organisers said it helped "raise funds to help more shelter animals like Major find their fur-ever homes".

Image source, Instagram/@JoeBiden
Image caption,

Major was adopted by Joe Biden's family back in 2018

Major isn't the only hound to be settling in at the White House.

Joe Biden also has another German shepherd called Champ. Unlike Major, Champ isn't completely new to the world of politics.

He became part of the Biden family in 2008 when he was just three months old and lived at One Observatory Circle in Washington DC, which is the official home of the vice-president and their family - Mr Biden was Barack Obama's second in command at the time.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Joe Biden's dog, Champ, at the Vice President's residence at the Naval Observatory in 2012

President Donald Trump didn't introduce any animal friends to the White House during his time in leadership, so Major and Champ will be the first pets to live there since Obama's presidency ended in 2017.