The Bizarre History Of White House Pets
Over the years, more than 200 animals have called the White House home, as nearly every president has brought along a cherished pet upon moving in.
These loyal companions provide comfort and a sense of normalcy to presidents and their families during their stay in the “home away from home.” From fluffy pups to feathered pals and everything in between, let’s take a look at some of the most iconic—and unique—presidential pets, including the latest four-legged arrivals!
The Coolidges Had A Raccoon Named Rebecca
Calvin Coolidge, the nation’s 30th president, and his wife Grace had quite a few surprising pets over the years. One of their favorites was a raccoon originally sent to them as part of their Thanksgiving dinner. But the Coolidges found her too gentle and sweet to eat, so they named her Rebecca and decided to keep her as a pet instead.
Mrs. Coolidge later described Rebecca as “a mischievous, inquisitive party,” noting they had to keep an eye on her while she was inside the house. She especially loved playing in a bathtub filled with a little water, happily batting around a cake of soap. This photo captures the First Lady holding Rebecca at the 1927 White House Easter Egg Roll.
There Was A Cow Named Pauline Wayne Taft
“Miss Wayne” was a cow owned by William Howard Taft, the 27th president of the United States. Pauline Wayne earned the unique title of being the last cow to live on the White House grounds, grazing there from 1910 to 1913 after being gifted to President Taft by Wisconsin Senator Isaac Stephenson.
Apparently, the family’s first cow couldn’t produce enough milk to satisfy the Tafts—who were famously hearty eaters—so Pauline Wayne was brought in as a replacement. After her White House days, she was sent back to Wisconsin, though what happened to her afterward is unknown.
The Very First Presidential Pets
Even though George and Martha Washington never lived in the White House, they were avid pet owners. Bird enthusiasts, they kept numerous parrots and other birds throughout their lives. According to the Mount Vernon website, George Washington even gifted red cardinals to France’s Marquis de Lafayette.
The Washingtons also loved dogs, having many over the years—from hunting hounds to a Dalmatian named Madame Moose.
Old Ike, The Tobacco-Chewing Ram
Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president, showed his support for the World War I effort by keeping a flock of sheep on the White House grounds. These sheep helped by naturally trimming the grass, which saved on labor, and their wool was sold for $52,823—all of which was donated to the Red Cross.
The flock was led by a Shropshire ram named Old Ike, known for his fierce temperament. A newspaper from that era described Ike as “forceful and strategic,” noting he would chase down White House staff who crossed his path. Old Ike was also famous for his unusual habit of chewing tobacco, happily munching on every cigar butt he came across.
The Checkers Speech
One of the most famous presidential pets never actually lived in the White House! Richard Nixon, the 37th president, had a black and white Cocker Spaniel named Checkers during his vice presidential campaign. When Nixon faced accusations of misusing thousands of dollars from supporters, he addressed the nation on television.
In his speech, he declared he would keep one gift from supporters: Checkers. He said, “…you know, the kids, like all kids, love the dog, and I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we’re gonna keep it.” Checkers instantly became a household name but sadly passed away in 1964, four years before Nixon took office as president.
Laddie Boy Became A Doggie Celebrity
President Warren G. Harding and his wife, Florence, owned an Airedale Terrier named Laddie Boy, who was the first White House pet to receive consistent newspaper coverage. The New York Times and the Washington Star published stories about him nearly every day.
Laddie Boy even had a dedicated caretaker, joined the president on golf outings, and had a custom hand-carved chair where he would sit during Cabinet meetings. After Harding’s passing, Florence entrusted Laddie Boy to her favorite Secret Service agent, knowing her health wouldn’t allow her to care for him much longer.
A Mockingbird Was Supposedly The First Pet To Live In The White House
Thomas Jefferson, the third president, had a special fondness for mockingbirds and kept several as pets over the years. Among them, one bird named Dick stood out as his favorite and is believed to be the first pet to live in the White House. Jefferson shared a close bond with Dick.
When a friend of his acquired a mockingbird, Jefferson wrote to congratulate him. Dick enjoyed free reign around the White House and was even known to follow Jefferson up the stairs, one step at a time.
William “Billy” Johnson Hippopotamus
Earlier, we mentioned President Calvin Coolidge and his impressive collection of pets. Among them was a pygmy hippo named William Johnson Hippopotamus—affectionately called “Billy.” Billy was a gift to the president and weighed 600 pounds when Coolidge received him.
Eventually, Billy was donated to the National Zoo, where he became one of the most beloved residents. The New York Times described him as “as frisky as a dog,” noting that even the monkeys’ antics were overlooked when the keeper opened Billy’s cage to play with him.
Billy was only the eighth pygmy hippo ever brought to the United States and is now a direct ancestor of nearly all captive pygmy hippos in the country.
Socks The Cat
This black and white cat is Socks, the Clinton family pet during their time at the White House. In this 1993 photo, Bill Clinton, the 42nd president, strolls casually with Socks draped over his shoulders as they walk through the White House grounds. Socks originally belonged to their daughter, Chelsea.
The cat jumped straight into Chelsea’s arms after one of her piano lessons, and the family decided to keep her. Socks became a beloved First Pet, making official visits to hospitals and schools. Sadly, Socks passed away from cancer on February 20, 2009.
Trump Did Not Bring A Pet To The White House
During his first term, President Donald Trump stood out by not having a pet—an uncommon occurrence for a president. Dave Baker, co-owner of the Presidential Pet Museum, told the Huffington Post that “[t]here are only a few administrations that didn’t feature any pets at the White House.”
In July 2017, a spokesperson for Melania Trump confirmed that the first family had no plans to bring a pet into the household—and it appears they never did. Additionally, Trump’s first wife, Ivana, mentioned that they once had a poodle named Chappy, but Donald wasn’t particularly fond of him.
LBJ’s Dog Interrupted A Bill Signing
President Lyndon Johnson, or LBJ, was an avid dog lover and was often spotted playing with his pets on the White House grounds. He had a few beagles, a collie, and a mixed-breed dog named Yuki.
In this photo, LBJ is attempting to sign a bill, but as he reached for the pen (with an audience watching), the mischievous Yuki decided it was the perfect moment to jump up on the desk. Thankfully, LBJ took it in stride with his usual sense of humor and was eventually able to sign the bill.
Lincoln’s Love Of Animals
The 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, was a true animal lover and kept a variety of pets throughout his life. One of his favorites was his beloved yellow mixed-breed dog, Fido. When Lincoln was elected president, he decided to leave Fido with friends in Springfield, Illinois, fearing the journey to Washington would be too stressful for the dog.
According to HuffPo, Lincoln made sure to give the friends Fido’s favorite horsehair sofa and set some strict instructions: they were to promise never to leave him tied up in the backyard, not to scold him for wet or muddy paws, and to allow him inside whenever he scratched at the door. Fido was also to receive scraps from the dining room table. This is an 1860 photo of Fido, the pampered pooch.
Putin Criticized Barney And Miss Beazley Bush
George W. Bush and his wife Laura had two Scottish Terriers while they lived in the White House (2001-2009). The first was a male named Bernard Bush, but he was better known as Barney. Barney became quite famous as First Dog, even drawing attention from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who humorously remarked that his own dog was “(b)igger, tougher, stronger, faster, [and] meaner, than Barney.” OK, then.
Later, President Bush gave Mrs. Bush a 10-week-old Scottish Terrier named Miss Beazley as a birthday gift. Today, a bronze statue of both Barney and Miss Beazley can be found at the George W. Bush Presidential Center.
Major Biden Was The White House’s First Shelter Dog
Joe and Jill Biden had two German shepherds, Champ and Major, that moved into the White House on January 24, 2021. Major was the first dog to go from a shelter to the White House. Talk about a “wags to riches” story!
Before Inauguration Day, there was a virtual “indoguration” ceremony for Major that featured “notable rescue dogs and their parents.” Proceeds supporting the Delaware Humane Association. Sadly, Champ passed away on June 19, 2021.
The Nation’s First Siamese Cats
The first Siamese cat ever brought to the United States was a gift to the country’s 19th president, Rutherford B. Hayes. Hayes and his wife initially named the cat Miss Pussy but later changed her name to Siam to reflect her noble demeanor. The cat was from David B. Sickels, the American consul in Bangkok.
Other Siamese cats have graced the White House grounds since Hayes’ time in office; President Ford and President Carter’s families both kept them as pets during their terms. This is first daughter Susan Ford with her Siamese cat Shan in 1974.
Bo And Sunny Obama Could Be A Handful
During his campaign to become the nation’s 44th president, Barack Obama famously promised his daughters Malia and Sasha that they could get a puppy if he won. Senator Ted Kennedy made sure of that when he gave a Portuguese water dog to the Obama family in 2009. The dog was named Bo, and he was joined by a female named Sunny (also a Portuguese water dog) in 2013.
The first family kept a good sense of humor about their dogs’ occasional accidents, with Mrs. Obama once saying, “Sunny can be naughty. Because you know what she does sometimes? She leaves the kitchen and she’ll sneak, and she’ll go poop on the other end of the White House.” Here, the pups are greeting kids at a Christmas party. Sadly, Bo died in 2021.
Alligators At The White House!
This might be hard to believe, but it’s true: two different presidents have kept alligators at the White House! First was John Quincy Adams, who was given one of the reptiles by the Marquis de Lafayette. It’s even been said that Adams kept the gator in a bathtub in one of the White House’s unfinished rooms for several months.
Herbert Hoover, the nation’s 31st president, also had alligators. More specifically, it was Hoover’s son Allan who kept a pair of gators as pets, and they were often seen roaming the grounds of the White House. “Beauty and the Beast” were eventually donated to the Smithsonian Zoo.
Buddy Clinton
The Clinton family added to their White House menagerie with the addition of Buddy, a chocolate-colored Labrador Retriever, in 1997. Unfortunately, Buddy and Socks the cat didn’t get along too well and had to be kept in separate areas of the White House. In 1998, first lady Hillary Clinton penned the book Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids’ Letters to the First Pets as a tribute to both animals.
Here, we see Buddy acting like a dog that doesn’t even know he’s famous. He’s just casually rolling around on the White House floor while being petted by Bill Clinton and Jacques Chirac, the president of France, in 1999. NBD.
Wormy White House Pets
John Quincy Adams was the country’s sixth president. His wife, Louisa Adams, kept quite an unusual pet: silkworms. The worms fed on the leaves of mulberry trees that grew on the White House grounds. Mrs. Adams liked harvesting their silk and she used it to make clothing. President Adams is said to have enjoyed the worms as well and frequently counted the number of eggs they laid.
A sad side note to this story is that the Adams family supposedly did not have a happy marriage and Louisa may have immersed herself in raising the silkworms in an effort to distract herself from depression.
Lots Of Bird Lovers
It turns out that many of our nation’s presidents were fans of keeping feathered pets. The 15th president, James Buchanan, even had bald eagles! The regal birds were given to Buchanan by friends who thought he might be lonely in the White House without a wife or children to keep him company. However, Buchanan soon learned that the White House was not an ideal home for the eagles, and sent them to live at his home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
He had other pets, including a terrier named Punch and a Newfoundland named Lara. Pictured is a turkey that’s about to receive a presidential pardon for Thanksgiving.
