While the current President of the United States, Donald Trump, has never owned a pet in the White House, nearly every other president has had a First Pet or two during their tenure, and some had veritable zoos!
From dogs and cats to pets of the more exotic variety, let’s explore the familiars of some of America's most influential ruling men and First Ladies over the years.
Click or scroll to delve into the archive…
Nicknamed “Little Ben” by the Democrats because of his small stature, Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd president of the United States. During his term, he owned a faithful collie named Dash, as well as two opossums, Mr. Reciprocity and Mr. Protection.
A family man, Harrison was known for finishing up business by noon most days to spend time with his grandchildren and their many pets, including a billy goat called Old Whiskers. In this photograph, Harrison’s son, Major Russell Harrison, is pictured on the White House lawn with his daughter Marthena and niece and nephew on a cart pulled by the presidential pet goat.
Theodore Roosevelt was known for his love of nature and exploring, which may explain the menagerie he and his family owned. Not content with just dogs, cats, and horses, he kept some more surprising pets such as snakes, a badger, and a flying squirrel. It was also reported that he owned wilder additions, from a lion and hyena to five bears.
He did have some favourites, though, which included Pete, the bull terrier, and Bleistein, a horse. In this photograph, Roosevelt's son Quentin takes a ride on Shetland pony, Algonquin, on the White House grounds.
William Howard Taft owned two cows and a dog called Caruso during his time as the 27th president of the United States. Surprisingly, until the late 19th century, cows were a common sight at the White House, as Washington DC had no dairy or milk delivery companies.
Taft brought his cow, Mooly Wooly, with him to DC. However, when she died, Pauline Wayne, a 1,500-pound (680kg) Holstein-Friesian cow (pictured here), took her place. Often called the “Queen of the Capital Cows”, sadly, she was the last cow at the White House.
But it wasn’t just cows that could be found on the White House lawn; during Woodrow Wilson‘s administration, some sheep grazed there, too. To set an example of home front contributions and to cut groundskeeping costs during the First World War, the President brought in sheep to trim the grass. Included in the flock was Old Ike, a characterful ram.
As well as sheep and Old Ike, Wilson also had three dogs: Davie, an Airedale terrier, Mountain Boy, a greyhound, and Bruce, the bull terrier, along with Puffins, the cat.
Warren G. Harding's presidency was one of firsts. He was the first newspaper publisher to be elected, and his Airedale terrier, Laddie Boy, was the first presidential pet to receive regular newspaper coverage. According to Smithsonian magazine, as keen animal lovers, the Hardings doted on him like a child.
He was later joined by Old Boy, an English bulldog, but while he liked to take a back seat, Laddie was often by his master’s side. Here, Laddie Boy is pictured watching the annual Easter Monday children's egg-rolling event from a balcony with Harding and First Lady Florence.
Calvin Coolidge and First Lady Grace quite literally had a zoo at the White House. From collie dogs and lion cubs (named Tax Reduction and Budget Bureau, no less), which were reportedly given to them by dignitaries, they were undeniably animal lovers.
Rebecca the raccoon was perhaps their most unusual familiar. The raccoon was a common sight around the building and out and about, where she wore an embroidered collar identifying her as the 'White House Raccoon'. But members of the staff were not all fans, as she often ripped both clothing and upholstery.
While Herbert Hoover was a dog lover, he was known as having a “steely demeanour”, so according to The White House Association, a photograph with King Tut, Hoover’s Belgian shepherd dog, was distributed among voters during the 1928 presidential campaign to make him appear more approachable. The plan worked!
It’s a tactic President Donald Trump, who is the first president in over 100 years not to have a pet, has been advised to take. However, he's repeatedly refused, arguing: “That’s not the relationship I have with my people.” He added, “Feels a little phoney to me.”
A perfect presidential pairing, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was one of the most famous US presidents, and Fala, his much-loved Scottish terrier, was one of the most cherished First Pets of all time. The cute pup famously enjoyed joining the President at meetings and was known to like a treat or two.
In this photograph, Fala is enjoying his birthday cake, which the president had made especially for his beloved pet dog. Tragically, just days after Fala's birthday, the president died at "the Little White House" in Warm Springs, Georgia.
Dwight Eisenhower’s Weimaraner Heidi was gifted by Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield. In a letter to Summerfield, the President wrote: "Heidi is definitely an asset to life in the White House. She cavorts on the South Lawn at a great rate, with such important projects as chasing squirrels and investigating what might be under bushes."
He goes on to say: “She is beautiful and well-behaved (occasionally she tends toward stubbornness but is then immediately apologetic about it). And she is extremely affectionate and seemingly happy.” However, eventually it was decided that the energetic dog might be better suited to life on the Eisenhowers’ farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
While most presidents are dog lovers, sadly, that can’t be said for them all. Harry S. Truman came to the White House without a pet when he came to power in 1945 after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt during his fourth term.
When he was gifted Feller, a cocker spaniel puppy from a supporter as a gift in 1947, he upset dog lovers everywhere when he gave him away. But there was a happy ending for the lonesome pup who lived out his years on a farm in Ohio.
The Kennedys are another presidential family of animal lovers. They had several much-loved dogs over the years, as well as cats, birds, and ponies. Despite his allergies to animal hair, Kennedy wanted his children to experience the joy of pet ownership.
When the Kennedys moved into the White House, they brought with them a Welsh terrier named Charlie, who is seen in this photograph of the family enjoying a traditional White House Christmas, together with Clipper, the German shepherd.
After Lyndon B. Johnson moved in, in December 1963, he had the White House doghouse redesigned for his pet beagles, Him and Her.
The well-documented pair became national celebrities, although Johnson’s penchant for picking up Him by the ears caused controversy. Johnson eventually issued a public apology.
Him and Her even joined in the campaigning for their master and in 1964 were photographed in front of the White House sporting campaign buttons.
Richard Nixon is usually remembered for one thing: the Watergate scandal. But he was also an animal lover. Checkers, a cocker spaniel, was Nixon’s dog while vice president, but he had three dogs during his time at the White House: Vickie, a poodle, Pasha, a Yorkshire terrier, and Tim, an Irish setter.
A gift to the President from his staff, a six-month-old Tim made his formal debut in the White House Rose Garden in January 1969, much to the delight of his owner.
It appears nowhere is out of bounds for First Dogs at the White House, especially not the Oval Office. After all, every man needs his best friend around when running the country. Gerald Ford certainly had his work cut out when he took over from Nixon after he resigned following the Watergate scandal.
One of Ford’s retrievers had died not long before the family moved into the White House. So when Liberty entered the presidential home, she ended up stealing the nation's hearts. Here she’s pictured overseeing matters with Ford, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft in 1974.
When Jimmy Carter and his family moved into the White House, they didn’t have any dogs, but as seems to be tradition, they were gifted a First Dog. The border collie mix, a present from daughter Amy's teacher, was named Grits in honour of the family’s Southern roots and integrated well into White House life. But when Amy’s teacher's dog passed away, it appeared they gave Grits back, perhaps to ease her sadness.
Reportedly, Grits also didn’t get along too well with the Carters’ cat, the fabulously named Misty Malarky Ying Yang.
It’s not quite clear who is walking who here in this photograph of President Ronald Reagan and Lucky, his Bouvier des Flandres. Pictured in the Rose Garden with former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in February 1985, the Reagans were well-known animal lovers who enjoyed spending time at their California ranch with their horses and dogs.
But, Lucky was actually gifted to Nancy Reagan at a White House ceremony in 1984, and according to the First Lady, she grew from a “ball of fluff” to “be the size of a pony”.
Even presidents are not adverse to the powers of a cute puppy. Least not George H.W. Bush, seen here on the White House lawn with his English springer spaniel Millie’s puppies.
Millie is famous for "writing" Millie’s Book: As Dictated to Barbara Bush, which reached the top spot on the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list in 1992. In the book, Millie describes a day in her life living with the President and Barbara Bush, including attending afternoon meetings in the Oval Office, combined with squirrel-hunting breaks!
Socks was the first cat to live in the White House since Amy Carter’s Siamese, Misty Malarky Ying Yang. Often seen perched on the President’s shoulder, the black-and-white tuxedo cat reportedly jumped into the arms of daughter Chelsea Clinton as she was leaving her piano teacher’s home in Arkansas in 1991, and the rest is history.
Socks was a hit with photographers and the public, and was even the subject of a popular 1990s TV comedy, Murphy Brown, in which the star of the show unintentionally kidnapped him from the White House. He also appeared with the President on a series of stamps in the Central African Republic.
In 1997, Buddy, a chocolate Labrador retriever, joined the family, but Socks was not a fan of sharing the limelight, so he went to live with Clinton's former secretary, Betty Currie, at the end of his presidency.
Miss Beazley came to live at the White House in January 2005 as a birthday gift from President George W. Bush to First Lady Laura. He joined their first Scotty dog, Barney, who had moved into the property with the family in 2001. The pair were featured in the White House video A Very Beazley Christmas in honour of the dog's first holiday in the White House, and the two Scotties became devoted friends.
Here, the pair are reporting for business at the Oval Office with President Bush.
Barack Obama is known for being the first African-American mixed-race president in United States history, but he's also recognised as being a devoted family man and animal lover. The President’s affection for Bo and Sunny, his Portuguese water dogs, was captured on camera many times during his presidency. Here, Obama takes Bo for a run down the East Colonnade during his first visit to the White House.
The lucky dogs met with many dignitaries over the years. Sunny reportedly enjoyed mingling with the press, too, but like all dogs, she had her moments. First Lady Michelle Obama has been quoted as 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.”
Pictured here relaxing on the balcony of the White House private residence, First Dog Champ was Joe and Jill Biden's “constant, cherished companion” for 13 years, until he passed away in June 2021. Champ joined the Biden family in 2008, when Biden first became vice president, and was named as a tribute to Biden’s father, who would encourage his son with the words, “Champ, get back up!”.
As a youngster, Champ played on the lawn of the Naval Observatory with the then Vice President’s grandchildren. “Everything was instantly better when he was next to us,” the President was quoted as saying. Champ was joined by a German Shepherd brother, Major, and a cat sister over the years.
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