Beloved Bernese Mountain Dog of President Michael D Higgins, Bród, Passes Away

The passing of Bród, beloved Bernese Mountain Dog owned by President Michael D Higgins, has saddened the nation. The 11-year-old, who had been a fixture at Áras an Uachtaráin since he was an eight-week-old puppy, was a much-loved dog who enjoyed meeting and greeting thousands of members of the public over the years. Along with his two-year-old double act, Misneach, Bród welcomed dignitaries and visitors to Áras an Uachtaráin. Bród’s peaceful passing was confirmed by sources at Áras an Uachtaráin, and it was later confirmed officially by the President’s office. The President’s dogs have become celebrities in their own right during his tenure, with unofficial social media accounts set up in their names and global attention as recently as last week when the video of them “snubbing” US president Joe Biden went viral. President Higgins, a dog lover, previously owned another Bernese Mountain Dog called Shadow. The Bernese Mountain Dog, originally bred in Switzerland as farm or draft dogs, has an average lifespan of between eight and ten years.