President H.W. Bush's Service Dog Sully Trained At Maryland Prison
/ CBS Baltimore
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) — Sully, the dog that captured the hearts and minds of many this week, was trained in a Maryland prison before his big-time job at President George H.W. Bush's side as his service dog.
The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Service announced Friday that Sully, the late president's service dog since June, had spent over a year at the Maryland Correctional Training Center in Hagerstown through a partnership with the America's VetDogs program.
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 4: Sully, a yellow Labrador service dog for former President George H. W. Bush, sits near the casket of the late former President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state at the U.S. Capitol, December 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. A WWII combat veteran, Bush served as a member of Congress from Texas, ambassador to the United Nations, director of the CIA, vice president and 41st president of the United States. Bush will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda until Wednesday morning. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)Sully, the service dog is seen as people pay respects, as the remains of former US President George H. W. Bush lie in state in the US Capitol's rotunda December 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. - The body of the late former President George H.W. Bush travelled from Houston to Washington, where he will lie in state at the US Capitol through Wednesday morning. Bush, who died on November 30, will return to Houston for his funeral on Thursday. (Photo by Alex Edelman / AFP) (Photo credit should read ALEX EDELMAN/AFP/Getty Images)Sully, the service dog is seen as people pay respects, as the remains of former US President George H. W. Bush lie in state in the US Capitol's rotunda December 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. - The body of the late former President George H.W. Bush travelled from Houston to Washington, where he will lie in state at the US Capitol through Wednesday morning. Bush, who died on November 30, will return to Houston for his funeral on Thursday. (Photo by Alex Edelman / AFP) (Photo credit should read ALEX EDELMAN/AFP/Getty Images)Sully, the yellow Labrador retriever who was former President George H.W. Bush service dog is seen during a departure ceremony at Ellington Field, on December 3, 2018, in Houston. (Photo by David J. Phillip / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read DAVID J. PHILLIP/AFP/Getty Images)WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 4: Sully, a yellow Labrador service dog for former President George H. W. Bush, sits near the casket of the late former President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state at the U.S. Capitol, December 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. A WWII combat veteran, Bush served as a member of Congress from Texas, ambassador to the United Nations, director of the CIA, vice president and 41st president of the United States. Bush will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda until Wednesday morning. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)Courtesy: SullyHWBush/InstagramCourtesy: SullyHWBush/InstagramCourtesy: SullyHWBUsh/InstagramCourtesy: SullyHWBush/Instagram
Part of Sully's training was learning to turn on lights, pull a wheelchair, pick up dropped items, fetch goods, and pull doors open.
"I was proud to learn that a dog trained in Maryland was able to serve President Bush in his final months," said Governor Larry Hogan. "This is such a worthy program that helps many of our veterans, and we hope that Sully is as loved and appreciated in his next partnership as he was by President Bush."
30 dogs a year are paired with inmates at the Hagerstown and Eastern Correctional Institution in Westover, Maryland.
The dogs live with their inmate handlers, who train them three times a day and provide them with exercise by walking and running in the yard.
The dogs are then paired with disabled veterans after their training is finished.
Sully left the facility in Nov. 2017 for more training at America's VetDogs' New York offices before later being given to President Bush in June.
Sully is now heading for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda where he will serve other veterans.
