Beginning with the first President of the United States, there have been pets in the White House. Pets are for everyone whether you are a President or working the drive through window. Our pets love us for who we are and not what we are or what we have. Here are
some pets throughout White House history:
George Washington had a menagerie of pets. He owned one bird, 4 donkeys and many horses that got together with the donkeys and created even more mules. He lived on a plantation before being elected to the White House and he owned an astonishing 86 dogs! He must have run out of names for all of them. But he did manage to name two of his dogs “Sweetlips” and “Madame Moose” that he used for foxhunting which was a big sport in the late 1700's. A horse named “Nelson” was his favorite battle horse as this horse was composed and calm in gunfire.
Thomas Jefferson had a mockingbird that he named “Dick.” Not a real popular name anymore, but maybe it was short for “Richard.” “Dick” often enjoyed singing as President Jefferson plucked his violin. President Jefferson received two grizzly bears as gifts and kept them in a cage temporarily. He used the bears to promote the exploration of the West. He only owned the bears until winter came and then he gave them to someone who could provide a better home for them.
James Madison was known for being vertically challenged but he did love his pet birds. He actually owned eight birds. One of the birds was named “Polly” and his wife was named “Dolly”, hope for marital bliss he never confused the two. But the story goes that when the British were invading the capital in 1812 Dolly Madison loaded up the carriages with historical paintings, documents and of course “Polly” the favorite bird!
John Quincy Adams for a short time had an alligator that was given to him by the explorer Marquis Lafayette. How do you thank someone for an alligator? “Uh, thanks for the reptile” and make arrangements to ship it off to Florida to mingle on gold courses?
Andrew Jackson owned a racehorse named “Truxton.” The President then went on to offer his winning horse for breeding and he made a fortune. Everyone must have wanted a horse that was sired from Truxton, the First Horse.
John Tyler had a canary that he and his wife wanted to mate. The canary's name was “Johnny Ty.” Unfortunately the canary that they placed in “Johnny Ty's” cage was another male and killed the First Bird.
James Buchanan had a Newfoundland named “Lara.”“Lara” was probably one of the largest dogs to make a home in the White House. Lara was just shy of 200 pounds!
Abraham Lincoln had a house full of boys and home zoo! He owned one bird, one cat, 2 dogs, 2 goats, 3 horses, 2 ponies and 2 rabbits. The goats belonged to Tad Lincoln, the President's son and he named them “Nanny” and “Nanko.” Little Tad often used the goats to pull his wagon through the White House. What a wild time that must have been
entertaining foreign heads of state as two goats and a screaming boy plowed
through the parlor. Tad Lincoln also had a turkey named “Jack” that was given a
“Presidential Pardon” from being the Thanksgiving dinner.
Ulysses S. Grant owned a horse named “Cincinnati. He loved the horse so much he had a statue created of himself riding “Cincinnati.”
Rutherford B.Hayes was one of the first Americans to own a Siamese cat. It was a gift from someone from Siam (now Thailand). Siamese cats were bred by royalty and were a sign of wealth. President Hayes also owned a peacock as well. I hope the Siamese cat did not attack the peacock or it may have been shipped back to Siam!
Benjamin Harrison gave his grandchildren a goat named “His Whiskers.” One day the grandchildren hitched the goats to a wagon and the goats took off running down Pennsylvania Avenue in hot pursuit by the President.
Theodore Roosevelt's son, Archie, had a miniature pony named “Algonquin” that loved to admire himself in a mirror. If “Algonquin” was indoors and found a mirror the first family had a hard time getting him away from it. The family also owned a pet badger named “Josiah” that liked to take little bites at people's feet. So the President told everyone around “Josiah” to jump around to avoid the mammals pointed teeth. Was that a Presidential order? Another Roosevelt pet was “Emily Spinach” the snake was named by little Alice, because she was the color of Popeye's favorite vegetable.
