We’re coming up on the last of the three major special days celebrated in February. We already passed Groundhog Day (as an HVAC dog I’m a bit wary about other mammals claiming they can predict the weather; I say “Be ready for anything!”). This week is Valentine’s Day. Next up is Presidents’ Day, which is a combined celebration of the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. You can read a short history of this holiday, but what I’m really interested in talking about today is Presidential Pets.
Although not every head of our Executive Branch has kept a furry friend in the White House, there have been many animal pals to have taken residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The Pets of the Prez: A Short List
Here’s a few of the pets of the past Presidents of the United States of America:
- George Washington: George never lived at the White House (because it wasn’t built yet!), and it’s probably a good thing because there is no way he could’ve fit his 36 hounds there! He also had a parrot and some horses.
- Abraham Lincoln: The other president of Presidents’ Day had a full menagerie of multiple cats, dogs, a white rabbit, and goats named Nanny and Nanko.
- Thomas Jefferson: Lewis and Clark gave Jefferson the present of two bear cubs. He also had a mockingbird.
- Ulysses S. Grant: The former general had a Newfoundland named Faithful.
- Theodore Roosevelt: It’s no surprise to me that the man who gave his name to the Teddy Bear had a full zoo going on! No kidding, I could’ve made a whole post on T.R.’s pets. Let’s see… a Chesapeake Bay retriever named Sailor Boy. A Pekingese named Manchu. A mutt named Skip. Two terriers named Jack and Pete. Cats named Tom Quartz and Slippers. A badger named Josiah. A pony named Algonquin. A macaw named Eli. A garter snake named Emily Spinach. (I swear I’m not making this up!) A piebald rat named Jonathan. (No, this is real! I’m not inventing this!) And there’s a whole assortment of horses, bears, guinea pigs, two kangaroo rats, lizards, an owl, a coyote, a lion, and—again, no kidding—a flying squirrel. Oh, and a zebra.
- Calvin Coolidge: Silent Cal had a terrier named Peter Pan. That’s pretty cute.
- Franklin D Roosevelt: The other Roosevelt had quite a few dogs, including a Great Dane named… President. I guess that wins the prize for the “Most Presidential Presidential Pet” by default.
- Millard Fillmore: In keeping with the tradition of a president that nobody seems to remember or know anything about, Millard Fillmore did not have any pets.
Everyone here at MK Russell & Abbot wants to see that you (and any pets or flying squirrels or piebald rats you may have) celebrate Presidents’ Day in comfort with a great heating system in Loudon, TN! No matter what heating service you need, you can count on us for excellent service.
Stay warm,
Olive