Barack and Michelle Obama Mourn the Loss of 'Fiercely Protective' and 'Cherished' Family Dog Sunny: 'We Will Miss Her Terribly'

Barack and Michelle Obama said goodbye to an old furry friend.

The former president, 65, and the ex-first lady, 62, announced on Wednesday, September 16, that their longtime family dog, Sunny, died at the age of 13.

The black Portuguese Water Dog was adopted by the Obama family in 2013 amid Barack's second presidential term.

The politician shared a heartbreaking tribute to the pup on social media, writing: "Yesterday, we lost a cherished member of our family."

"All of us – including our first dog, Bo – immediately fell in love [with Sunny]," he continued, referencing their first dog who joined the family in 2009 and passed away from cancer in 2021.

"We also had trouble keeping up with her, for Sunny was a force of nature. Athletic and full of boundless energy, she leapt over the hedges on the South Lawn like they weren’t even there, chasing squirrels, birds and anything else that moved," he emotionally noted.

Sunny was more "interested in having us run around with her, roll on the floor with her, or have her belly rubbed for as long as we were willing," he wrote.

Barack added Sunny "loved" daughters, Sasha, 25, and Malia, 28, and was also "fiercely protective" of Bo, who she "rightly sensed wasn’t always as alert and attentive as she was."

He then joked Sunny "hated" getting wet and was "a loud and sloppy drinker."

"But as far as our family was concerned, she was pretty much perfect, and for thirteen years, she would be by our side – always loyal, always sweet, always ready for adventure, still fiery and gorgeous till the very end of her days," he penned.

"We will miss her terribly, and imagine she’s with her big brother now, making sure he’s okay," Barack concluded his tribute.

The Instagram gallery featured an array of photos of the pooch throughout her life. One shot featured Sunny meeting the late Pope Francis in September 2015 in the White House's Blue Room following the State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn.

Another image showed Sunny relaxing on a bed with her tiger plush toy, while others featured her running happily and sitting on the sand at the beach.

Bo and Sunny were main staples of the Obama administration, which lasted from 2009 until 2017. The two hounds often entertained audiences at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, welcomed visitors and also lifted the spirits of wounded military personnel.