George HW Bush's service dog Sully 'flies next to former president's casket on board Air Force One'

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Katy Clifton3 December 2018

George HW Bush’s service dog, who was pictured lying beside his owner’s flag-draped coffin, remains faithfully by his master's side as the former president is flown from Houston to Washington to lie in state.

Sully, a specially trained yellow Labrador Retriever, was seen on Sunday lying mournfully next to Mr Bush’s coffin in an Instagram post captioned: “Mission complete.”

The two-year-old dog was placed with the former president in June by America's VetDogs to provide support and companionship to Mr Bush after former first lady Barbara Bush died earlier this year.

The loyal dog is now flying with the casket in Air Force One from Houston to Washington DC, TMZ reports.

President George H.W Bush's service dog Sully
Getty Images

Pictures show Sully during the departure ceremony at Ellington Field before boarding Air Force One.

The casket of the 41st US President was carried by a joint services military honour guard onto the plane as a band played "Hail to the Chief".

Mr Bush's son former President George W Bush and his wife Laura were among those relatives and friends who walked to the aircraft shortly after the body was loaded aboard.

The casket carrying George HW Bush is moved to one of the Presidents Air Force One planes
EPA

After landing in Washington, Sully will miss the funeral and return back into service to help other veterans at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Sully is named after former airline pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III, who became famous for landing a damaged passenger jet on the Hudson River in 2009.

Speaking about his father’s companion, Mr Bush said: “As much as our family is going to miss this dog, we’re comforted to know he’ll bring the same joy to his new home that he brought to 41.”

His official Twitter account posted an image of Sully alongside his father and another former President, Bill Clinton, on June 25 after the dog's arrival at his new home.

The tweet read: "A great joy to welcome home the newest member of our family, "Sully," a beautiful - and beautifully trained - lab from America’s VetDogs.

"Could not be more grateful, especially for their commitment to our veterans."

America’s VetDogs is a New York-based nonprofit group which provides service dogs to veterans.

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