Presidents welcomed pets in the White House
The primaries are underway to elect nominees for president of the United States. Come January 2017, we'll have new residents living at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Historically, our presidents have always had dogs and other animals with them in the White House. As we move toward electing a new president of the United States, I thought it might be interesting to find out what pets our presidents chose to share their lives with during their time in office.
According to Claire McLean, founder of the Presidential Pet Museum, presidentialpetmuseum.com, pets have been residing with presidents since George Washington. Washington had horses, French hounds, other hounds and a parrot belonging to his wife, Martha, living with him at Mount Vernon.
Thomas Jefferson had a mockingbird and two Briards. The dogs were a gift from General Lafayette.
John Quincy Adams had some unusual pets, including an alligator given to him by the Marquis de Lafayette and silkworms belonging to his wife, Louisa. Other earlier presidents and their families had birds, cows and horses.
Millard Fillmore (1850-1853) took the issue of animal rights seriously. Although he reportedly didn't have any animals living with him in the White House, he was a founding member and president of the Buffalo chapter of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Abraham Lincoln and his family shared their lives with a pig, goats, dogs, a white rabbit, ponies belonging to Tad and Willy Lincoln, and several dogs and cats.
Cats and mice are a part of the history of presidential pets. Andrew Johnson (1865-1869) reportedly left flour out at night for a family of mice playing in his room during the days of impeachment. Rutherford Hayes (1877-1881) reportedly had the first Siamese kitten to reach America.
According to McLean, several presidents were petless. The last president who didn't have a pet was Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885).
McLean suggests, “For fear history would treat him unkindly (the Teapot scandal), his administration destroyed most of his White House history.”
Before President Arthur, Millard Fillmore, James Polk and Franklin Pierce were all presidents without pets.
In the 1900s, the number of presidential pets increased. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) had his horses, a bull terrier, a Chesapeake Retriever named Skip, “a mongrel,” snakes, cats, guinea pigs and a variety of other animals.
Calvin and Grace Coolidge (1923-1929) had “a zoo at the White House,” according to McLean. They had collies, a terrier, an Airdale, Shetland sheepdog, chows, bulldogs, a police dog, a bird dog, birds, geese, cats, raccoons, dogs and animals given to them by dignitaries from other countries.
But Harry Truman had only one animal, Feller, the unwanted dog. Margaret Truman had an Irish Setter.
More recently, presidents have invited pets back into the White House. Dwight Eisenhower had a Weimaraner dog. John Kennedy and his young family had numerous pets, including dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, a rabbit and ponies, including the famous Macaroni.
President Reagan had a Boier des Flandres with natural ears, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and various dogs and horses at his ranch. President George H.W. Bush had Millie the Springer Spaniel, who wrote a book. President Bill Clinton had Socks the cat, who infamously did not get along with Buddy, the chocolate Labrador retriever.
President George W. Bush and his wife Laura, shared the White House with Barney and Miss Beazley, the Scottish terrier, Spot the dog, and India the cat.
Presidents surround themselves with animals, especially cats and dogs. I can understand that. When you're the “Leader of the Free World,” making decisions affecting the lives of millions of people, I'm sure it's comforting to know you can reach down and pet the one being who will give you unconditional love — your dog.
Blessing of the Animals: The Blessing of the Animals will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 14, at The Buddy Foundation Shelter, 65 W. Seegers Road, in Arlington Heights. Keep your pets leashed and/or in appropriate housing. Refreshments will be available, as well as representatives to answer questions. Bring your own chairs.
Fundraiser: The Best In Show Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show fundraiser and open house, benefiting The Buddy Foundation, Pits for Patriots and Reach Rescue, is from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. June 5 at City Limits, 2015 N. Rand Road, in Palatine; (847) 358-2112 or CityLimitsHD.com.
There will be a silent auction and live music. Awards include: Best in Show (Top Car/Truck); Pick of the Litter (Top Bike); Wolf Pack (Club Participation); Pooches Pick (Charities Choice); and Harley Hound (Dealer's Choice).
For information, contact Mary at BestInShowRescue@gmail.com.
• The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, is a nonprofit (501c3), all volunteer, no-kill animal shelter. For information, call (847) 290-5806 or visit www.thebuddyfoundation.org.