George HW Bush's service dog Sully pays touching last tribute

The Labrador, who was a service dog for President George HW Bush, has been pictured resting next to his coffin, in an impressive tribute.

Mr Bush, who served as the 41st president of the United States between 1989 and 1993, died Friday at the age of 94. Sully the dog travels with the coffin on the trip from Texas to Washington and returns this week. The body is due to lie in the state this week before a day of national mourning.

The coffin is being flown from Texas to DC on board Air Force One - temporarily renamed Special Air Mission 41, in homage to the late president, and then returned on Wednesday, with Sully accompanying the body all the time.

Sully is named after the airline pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who landed a passenger plane on the Hudson River in 2009, saving all the 155 passengers and crew on board.

The dog was assigned earlier this year as a service dog to Mr. Bush who used a wheelchair in his later years.

A highly trained dog, Sully can perform a number of commands, such as opening doors and fetching items like the phone when it rings. Sully will now serve as a service dog, assisting with therapy for wounded soldiers.

The dog has his own Instagram account; here he is shown "assisting with voting" as Mr Bush cast his ballot in last month's US presidential mid-term election.

Not all Presidents of the United States were fond of dogs; although John F. Kennedy was allergic to dogs and Donald Trump does not have any.

President Bush has been receiving treatment for a form of Parkinson's disease and was admitted to a hospital with a blood infection in April. He died in Houston, Texas.

He will be buried in the Texas Presidential Library, beside his wife of more than 70 years, Barbara Bush, who died seven months ago.