Sully the Service Dog Shares Special Moment By 41's Side at Capitol Rotunda Casket Viewing

Sully the service dog’s dedication to his best friend George H. W. Bush continues.

After standing guard over the late president’s coffin this weekend, the yellow Lab visited his owner once again at the Capitol Rotunda, where Bush lies in state, on Tuesday.

Sully wore an American flag vest for his Capitol visit, and was escorted up to the casket by America’s VetDogs service dog program manager Valerie Cramer for a moment with Bush. After sharing a few seconds with the former POTUS, Sully went and sat silently among the other guests who came to the Rotunda to pay their respects. Former senator Bob Dole, who lost the 1998 Republican presidential nomination to Bush, was also among the stream of visitors who passed through the Rotunda on Tuesday to honor Bush.

Bush, who died on Friday at the age of 94, was matched with Sully, a America’s VetDogs graduate, in June after the former president spent months in and out of the hospital. Since the beginning, the pair was inseparable and this bond has continued beyond Bush’s death.

Now that his time with Bush is drawing to a close, Sully is planning for the next steps in his journey to help others. In a statement obtained by PEOPLE on Monday, America’s VetDogs announced that Sully will eventually make a move to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s Facilities Dog Program.

“Later this week, Sully will return back to America’s VetDogs in Smithtown, New York, for a temporary stay throughout the holiday season before joining the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s Facilities Dog Program,” the statement read.

“Sully 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,” America’s VetDogs added.

At the medical center, Sully will help service members learn to adapt to prosthetic limbs through “retrieval, bracing, and innovative tug-of-war exercises.”

On Sunday, George W. Bush posted a send-off on Instagram for his dad’s loyal canine companion.

“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,” the 43rd president wrote.

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