PRESIDENTS,
CANDIDATES, AND THEIR PETS
Nel Liquorman
- July 2008
What's in your house? What's in their house,
especially the White House?
We realize that not all families or
cultures keep pets and that some even consider dogs objectionable. But animal lovers
wonder "what's in the White House" so here are some interesting facts about
the presidents and their relationships with animals.
For those of you wondering which candidates are dog lovers and which are cat lovers, we have the answers
from The Salt Lake Tribune who assembled a list of
candidates and their pets.
Democratic hopeful, Barack Obama has no pets. But he has promised his kids a dog. This promise may be conditional, as many
news reports indicated that he will get the dog “if he wins the
election”.
Although Hillary Clinton has suspended her campaign, she and the
former president have a dog, a Labrador named Seamus. No, it is not the
one that lived in the White House. Sadly, that dog (Buddy) ran out into
traffic during the move out and was run over. When they arrived, their
daughter had a cat named Socks but when they left the White House, they
were cat-less. Reports are that the cat was adopted by a staff member.
Their daughter appears to be the cat lover, and reportedly has a cat in
her apartment.
Republican, John McCain may rank higher as an animal lover due to the fact that he owns three turtles, three parakeets, a ferret, two
dogs, a cat and 13 salt water fish.
The American Veterinary Assoc. reports 59.5% of American households own pets.
This may not be a deal breaker in the voting booth but most pet lovers
appreciate a candidate who will work for them and their pets. We'll continue to
cover this subject for curious readers.
PRESIDENTIAL PETS
IN THE WHITEHOUSE
We were unable to get Senators
or
Presidential
hopefuls,
up for re-election
in 2008, to answer questions about dogs or their
positions on pet issues.
There was a
time when
Presidents
posed with
their dogs
for
photographers,
from Johnson,
Clinton, and
the first
President Bush.
Past history of dogs and other pets residing
at the White House offers historical evidence that America has a
love affair with pets!
Even when
one of us rises to the highest office in
the land, he takes along his beloved
pets. While cats and dogs have often
been present, an amazing variety of
animals have resided at the White House,
starting with our very first president.
When George Washington moved into the big house, he brought along five French
hounds, a parrot, and many horses, including a couple used during the American
Revolution. While horses were transportation, he had so many that we must
believe that his family loved horses.
President Hayes had the first Siamese kitten in America, and President Fillmore
was a founding member and president of the Buffalo chapter of ASPCA.
James Buchanan had the customary man’s best friend - dogs, along with a herd of
elephants and a pair of bald eagles.
William Taft was the last to have a cow! Well the four legged kind anyway. And,
we don’t know for sure if this pet was a working cow. Perhaps it was the milkman
who displaced the cow as a choice for a presidential pet.
Congress banished two tiger cubs to a zoo, after they were given to Martin Van
Buren by the Sultan of Oman.
Perhaps, recognition for the strangest combination of pets owned by a
presidential family should go to the family of John Quincy Adams, proud owners
of an alligator and silkworms.
No doubt Woodrow Wilson felt more at home while sitting in the oval office and
watching his pet sheep as they grazed on the White House lawn.
Even
Andrew Johnson is believed to have fed a family of mice. Of course this was
during the days of impeachment, so he could have had an ulterior motive. Or
perhaps he didn't have a dog and just needed a friend.
Only three presidents are believed to have had no pets while in office, that is
Chester A. Arthur, Franklin Pierce, and James Polk.
Pets have faired well under
most administrations because so many presidents genuinely loved animals. Voters
would be well advised to not elect
officials who fail to recognize that dogs are an important part of our lives.
And make sure that people seeking political offices know that an estimated 60
million households own pets and we take pet legislation very
seriously.
for more on this subject, see
President's Dogs
http://www.thedogplace.org/POLITICS/President-Pets-0807_Liquorman.asp #1110
POLITICAL
PERSPECTIVES
