Internet rushes to defend Sully the service dog after article claims he's not grieving the death of George HW Bush

Sully, service dog to George HW Bush has become somewhat of a viral sensation after a photograph was posted online of him lying next to the former US president's casket.

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An op-ed written by Slate telling people not to spend their "emotional energy" on the dog has been receiving some negative responses on Twitter.

The piece, written by Ruth Graham, says that he’s a service dog who had been with the president for six months, not his lifelong companion.

"Sully is not a longtime Bush family pet, letting go of the only master he has known. He is an employee who served for less than six months."

"The photograph...is not proof that Sully is a particularly 'good boy' or that 'we don’t deserve dogs'... it says almost nothing other than the fact that Sully was, at one point in the same room as the casket...This is simply a photograph of a dog doing something dogs love to do: Lie down."

People on Twitter were not having any of this.

It only took a few hours for the Sully truthers to come out https://t.co/fkGpxJ6gZR

— Tara Mulholland (@tara_mulholland) December 4, 2018

That Sully was only with George H.W. Bush for six months makes him sleeping next to his casket all the more amazing, you soulless monster. https://t.co/hWzR0eUwGc

— The Darkest Timeline Numbersmuncher (@NumbersMuncher) December 4, 2018

can we stop doing fact checks on good animals please, can't we just have some nice things that don't need to debunked in a "well ACTUALLY" hot take, let Sully and Knickers just have their time https://t.co/SnkMlmLMrg

— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) December 4, 2018

The good news is Sully already has his next job lined up.

According to the article, he is heading to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre in Maryland.

He is an ambassador for America's VetDogs - an agency which trains guide and service dogs for veterans and first responders with disabilities.

We have no fear that Sully will be the best dog for any job he is given.

Good boy, Sully. Good boy.