Pets in the White House 1889-1961

Dwight D. Eisenhower owned a Weimaraner named Heidi. Other Eisenhower pets included two English Setters, Art and George. These two dogs were the President's hunting dogs and were flown to him in Georgia whenever he went there to hunt quail. Heidi is the only dog who spent any time at the White House. Eisenhower had a farm in Gettysburg, and the animals normally spent most of their time there. The Eisenhowers also kept a pet canary and a parakeet named Gabby at the White House. A Scottish Terrier called Skunkie has also been said to belong to President Eisenhower, but may have belonged to his grandchildren.

Harry S. Truman was not a pet lover. In December of 1947, an anonymous someone sent the Truman family a Christmas gift. A crate arrived for them with a pretty blond Cocker Spaniel puppy inside. The puppy was given the name Feller. Truman did not keep the puppy for very long, choosing to give it away to his personal physician. When the dog lovers of America discovered what the President had done, they were outraged. There was an outpouring of press and publicity, and Truman was accused of being anti-canine. The doctor, Brigadier General Wallace Graham, got tired of all the negativity and decided he wanted to get rid of the dog. He had Truman's Naval aide take the dog to Camp David, the presidential weekend retreat. The camp was not open to the public, and the press soon backed off. Feller was basically ownerless. When word got out that a member of the Truman family was coming to Camp David, Feller would be sent out to a groomer to make sure he looked good, just in case the Trumans asked about him. They never did. The post of Chief-in-Charge at Camp David was held by several different men over the years, each in turn inheriting the care of Feller while at the camp. Finally, in 1953, the then-current Chief, Robert Lyle, was being transferred to Italy. He must have felt sorry for Feller, for he asked Naval Aide Robert Dennison if he could take the dog. He received permission, but was told under no circumstances was he to mention that Feller had once belonged to Truman. Lyle gave Feller to his father, and the dog finally had a happy home and lived for many more years.

Franklin D. Roosevelt owned several dogs, but the most famous of them was Fala, a Scottish Terrier. Fala was Roosevelt's constant companion, following him everywhere and becoming almost synonymous with the President as part of his image. Fala was a gift from Roosevelt's cousin, Margaret Suckley. He was taught house manners and a few tricks by Margaret before coming to the White House, and his antics delighted the media, who featured him and his photo frequently. Fala had the run of the White House, and not too long after arriving, became ill. It was discovered that as well as a bone on the President's breakfast tray every morning, and a full meal at night, the little dog was being fed constantly by the White House kitchen staff, who deemed his begging too cute to refuse. Roosevelt issued a stern warning that Fala was to be fed by no one but him, and from then on, the dog was healthy.

Fala was featured in a 1942 MGM film made to show a typical day in the White House. He was also an honorary private in the U.S. Army. Fala was so popular he received fan mail - so much of it that he had to have his own secretary.

In 1944, Roosevelt gave the famous Fala speech. He had been falsely accused of leaving Fala behind on the Aleuetian Islands and spending taxpayer dollars by sending a destroyer ship back for him. Roosevelt said that the Republicans were not content to attack him and his family, but must now include his little dog, and Fala's Scotch soul was furious at the accusations.

Roosevelt died in 1945. Fala outlived him by 7 years, dying in 1952. He is buried next to the Roosevelts.

President Roosevelt's pets also included Major, a German Shepherd, Meggie, a Scottish Terrier, Winks, a Llewellyn Setter, Tiny, an Old English Sheepdog, President, a Great Dane, and Blaze, a Mastiff that was Eleanor Roosevelt's favorite.

Herbert Hoover is most associated with a German Shepherd named King Tut, but he also owned Big Ben and Sonnie, Fox Terriers, Glen, a Collie, Yukon, an Eskimo, Patrick, an Irish Wolfhound, Eaglehurst Gillette, a Setter, and Weejie, a Norwegian Elkhound.

Calvin Coolidge had many pets, including a donkey named Ebeneezer, a goose who was a Broadway star, and raccoons called Rebecca and Horace. He also owned a bobcat, a wallaby, two lion cubs, an antelope, and a pygmy hippo named Billy! Coolidge is remembered for walking arounf the White House with a raccoon on his shoulder. His dogs included Rob Roy and Prudence Prim, white Collies, Paul Pry, an Airedale, Calamity Jane, a Shetland Sheepdog, Boston Beans, a Bulldaog, and Palo Alto, a birddog.

Warren G. Harding owned an Airedale named Laddie Boy.

Woodrow Wilson treasured a cat he called Puffins. He also owned Mountain Boy, a Greyhound, Bruce, a Bull Terrier, and also enjoyed keeping sheep on the White House lawn. One of them, a ram named Old Ike, was special to him.

William Howard Taft was the proud owner of a dog called Caruso, breed unknown, and two cows named Mooly Wooly and Pauline Wayne.

Theodore Roosevelt was quite the animal lover. His pets included a one legged rooster, a hen, guinea pigs, a rat, a badger, a pig, two ponies, a macaw, garter snakes, and two cats named Slippers and Tom Quartz. His canine friends were Pete, a Bull Terrier, Skip, a Rat Terrier, Blackjack, a Manchester Terrier, Manchu, a Pekingese, Rollo, a Saint Bernard, and Sailor Boy, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever.

William McKinley owned a yellow-headed Mexican parrot named Washington Post, and two Angora kittens he called Valeriano Weyler and Enrique DeLome. He also had several roosters as pets.

Benjamin Harrison had a goat as a pet by the name of His Whiskers. A Collie called Dash and two opossums named Mr. Reciprocity and Mr. Protection were included in the Harrison menagerie.

Grover Cleveland had a pet mockingbird, whose name is unknown.

Chester A. Arthur did not own any pets.

James A. Garfield had a dog he cleverly called Veto, so named as a threat to Congress. Veto's breed is unknown.

Rutherford B. Hayes owned many pets, including his dogs Dot, a Cocker Spaniel, Hector, a Newfoundland, Deke, an English Mastiff, Grim, a Greyhound, Juno and Shep, hunting dogs, Jet, breed unknown, and cats Piccolomini and Miss Pussy, a Siamese.

Ulysses S. Grant owned a dog named Rosie, and horses called St. Louis, Egypt, Reb, Billy Button, Butcher Boy, and Jeff Davis, who was the horse he rode in the war. Another horse, named Cincinnatus, was a gift to Grant from the citizens ofCincinnati, Ohio.

Andrew Johnson was known to be kind enough to give food to white mice that he found in his bedroom. As such, they could be considered his pets.

Abraham Lincoln was a compassionate man who loved all pets. He especially adored cats, to the point where his wife, when ask if Lincoln had any hobbies, would rely with one word - "Cats". Lincoln had a soft spot for turkeys too. After proclaiming the last Thursday of November each year would be celebrated as Thanksgiving, a live turkey was sent to the White House to be used for the holiday meal. Lincoln's son Tad, after naming his new friend Jack, begged his father to spare the turkey's life. Lincoln took time out from a cabinet meeting to do just that, and Jack was saved.. Lincoln had two goats at the White House called Nanny and Nanko

Lincoln's dog, Fido, was a yellow mixed breed with floppy ears. After his election, Lincoln decided not to take Fido to Washington, D.C. as the dog was terrified of loud noises, and the Lincolns feared he might not survive the long train ride to the White House. A new home was found for Fido with neighbors, who were given instructions as to Fido's habits and care. Lincoln even gave the family sofa to Fido's new owners so the dog would feel at home. Before the move to Washington, the Lincolns took Fido to a photographer's studio to have his picture taken, making Fido the first Presidential pet to be photographed. Fido died less than a year after Lincoln was assassinated.

James Buchanan owned two dogs, a Toy Terrier called Punch, and a Newfoundland called Lara.

Franklin Pierce shared the White House with two birds from Japan, and seven miniature Oriental dogs, exact breed unknown.

Millard Fillmore did not own any pets.

Zachary Taylor owned a horse named Old Whitey.

James K. Polk was the owner of a horse, name unknown.

John Tyler owned an Italian Greyhound, Le Beau, a canary named Johnny Ty, and a horse called The General.

William Henry Harrison's pets were a goat and a cow named Sukey.

Martin Van Buren at one time briefly owned two tiger cubs.

Andrew Jackson had a parrot named Pol who was taught to swear, horses, and fighting roosters as pets.

John Quincy Adams had unusual pets - an alligator and silkworms.

James Monroe reportedly owned a spaniel.

James Madison was a bird lover, owning both a parrot and a macaw.

Thomas Jefferson had a Mockingbird called Dick and two Briard dogs as his White House pets.

John Adams owned two dogs, Juno and Satan, and a horse, Cleopatra.

George Washington was a dog lover, owning Stag Hounds Sweet Lips, Vulcan and Scentwell, Black and Tan Hounds Drunkard, Taster, Tipler and Tipsy. He also had a donkey named Royal Gift and a horse named Nelson.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._Presidential_pets

http://www.presidentialpetmuseum.com/whitehousepets-1.htm

http://home.comcast.net/~sharonday7/Presidents/AP060334.htm

http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Pets.htm