George H.W. Bush's Service Dog Sully Captivates the Internet's Collective Heart at Casket Viewing

The pup named Sully helped the former president for the past six months

George H.W. Bush's service dog bid his final farewell to the late President on Tuesday afternoon.

At the services held at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, the golden retriever named Sully, after pilot Sully Sullenberger, stood by his former owner's casket for one last time. For the special occasion, Sully donned an American flag service vest, emblazoned with the seal of the President of the United States. 

The furry friend traveled the many miles from Texas to Washington D.C. to attend the open casket service, alongside the Bush family. His buddy for the event was former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, who served under George W. Bush. 

Sully is understandably upset by the death of his longtime friend, but he is glad to have served the 41st president for nearly six months. The two became fast friends after Sully moved into the Bush estate following the death of First Lady Barbara Bush in April of this year. 

Their adorable friendship was well-documented on their respective social media accounts, with photos of the pair taking walks together. Bush Sr. loved the dog so much that he even got a pair of socks to honor Sully. 

On Monday, the loyal dog shared a picture on his Instagram account of him standing guard by the President's casket. The caption read: "Mission complete."

The bittersweet photo was shared by the Bush family as well. Jeb Bush wrote on Twitter, "Sully has the watch." 

A post shared by Sully H.W. Bush (@sullyhwbush)

Having completed his mission of assisting the 41st president, the golden retriever is heading off on his new assignment. Sully will be joining the crew at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's Facility Dog Program. America's VetDogs said in a statement, "He will be working alongside fellow VetDogs facility dogs SGT Dillon and SGT Truman who are there to assist with physical and occupational therapy to wounded soldiers and active duty personnel during their journey to recovery at Walter Reed Bethesda."

While the Bush family is saddened to say goodbye to their furry friend, they wish him the best of luck on his new journey. "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, Walter Reed, that he brought to 41," George W. Bush wrote on Instagram.