Joe and Jill Biden adopt a pair of black Lab-mix puppies named Boo and Scout

WASHINGTON — Joe and Jill Biden have added a pair of black Lab-mix puppies named Boo and Scout to the former president’s home in Delaware, adopting the sibling dogs after they were rescued from a shelter in Tennessee.

The dogs were paired with the Bidens through a Delaware animal welfare organization that announced the adoption Monday and released a photo of the Bidens smiling alongside the puppies and their cat, Willow.

Humane Animal Partners said it helped the Bidens find the dogs after learning they were interested in two black Labrador retrievers. Boo and Scout are siblings, originally named Linda and Rocky, who were rescued from an overcrowded shelter, the organization said.

The Bidens were known for their German shepherds during their time in the White House, including two that were sent away after biting incidents. Major was sent to live with friends after biting Secret Service personnel and White House staff in 2021. Commander was removed two years later.

Commander had been a gift to Joe Biden in December 2021, from his brother James.

Jill Biden recently told The Associated Press that she and the former president decided not to reclaim Major and Commander after they left the White House.

Another of their German shepherds, Champ, died in 2021 at age 13.

Boo and Scout were hand-picked for the Bidens by staff at the animal welfare group. “Our team intentionally brought them to HAP because we believed they would be a great fit for the Bidens and their home,” Patrick Carroll, CEO of Humane Animal Partners, said in a statement.

The Bidens brought the puppies into their home on a trial basis before making the adoption official, the organization said.