by: Mark Hughes and Mitchell Paul
When a President moves into the White House, the whole family comes along -- including pets! Some unusual animals have occupied 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Here's a look at some noteworthy fuzzy and feathered friends of Presidents.
Bo the Portuguese Water Dog
Barack and Michelle Obama promised their daughters, Malia and Sasha, that they would get a pet dog after they moved into the White House. Bo, a Portuguese water dog, was a gift from Senator Edward Kennedy.
Barney the Scottish Terrier
President George W. Bush is pictured here with his Scottish terrier named Barney. In early 2005, Barney was granted a female companion -- another Scottie named Miss Beazley.
Socks the Cat
President Clinton's cat Socks had the run of the White House, until Buddy the labrador retriever showed up in 1997. The two animals didn't get along, and had to be segregated.
Millie the Springer Spaniel
Millie was a springer spaniel belonging to President George H.W. Bush. Millie became a mother during her time in the White House. One of Millie's puppies, Spot, returned to the White House in 2001 under the ownership of George W. Bush. Millie also coauthored Millie's Book with First Lady Barbara Bush.
Rex the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Rushing to greet the Reagans is Rex, their Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Rex was a gift from columnist William F. Buckley, Jr.
Liberty the Golden Retriever
The Oval Office is rarefied territory for Americans, but President Gerald Ford's golden retriever, Liberty, had unfettered access. Who knows what secrets of national importance Liberty was privy to?
Richard Nixon's Dogs
Keeping watch are Nixon's three dogs: Pasha (a Yorkshire terrier), Vicky (a poodle), and King Timahoe (an Irish setter).
Yuki the Mutt
President Johnson "singing" with his dog, Yuki. A mixed breed dog, Yuki was found at a gas station in Texas on Thanksgiving Day in 1966 by Luci, President Johnson's daughter. "Yuki" means "snow" in Japanese.
Macaroni the Pony
President John F. Kennedy's family owned a number of pets, including dogs, birds, a hamster, and a rabbit. The biggest of the Kennedy animals was daughter Caroline's pony, Macaroni.
Heidi the Weimaraner
President Eisenhower with his dog Heidi, a Weimaraner. Eisenhower said of Heidi, "[she] 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."
Fala the Scottish Terrier
Murray the Outlaw of Falahill, or Fala, was a Scottish Terrier and the favorite pet of President Roosevelt. This image shows the statue of Fala at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Herbert Hoover's Dogs
President Hoover's two dogs: Whoopie, a schnauzer (left); and Eaglehurst Gilette, a setter (right).
Rebecca the Raccoon
Your eyes aren't deceiving you -- that's First Lady Grace Coolidge cradling her pet raccoon, Rebecca. Although raccoons are commonly thought of as pests and not pets, President Coolidge went so far as to build a little house for Rebecca.
Pete the Squirrel
President Warren G. Harding had a dog named Laddie Boy, but also kept a less traditional pet. Pete the squirrel, pictured here with Naval Secretary Edwin Denby, was a regular guest on the White House grounds.
A Flock of Sheep
Most Presidents have a dog or a cat, but President Woodrow Wilson brought a flock of sheep to graze on the White House lawn in order to defray lawn maintenance costs. Wilson's ram, Old Ike, was the most famous of the animals.
Pauline Wayne the Cow
The last Presidential cow to live at the White House was President William Taft's pet, Pauline Wayne, pictured here in front of the Navy Building (now the Eisenhower Executive Office Building). Pauline Wayne was actually Taft's second cow, brought in when her predecessor was unable to produce milk for the Taft family.
Eli Yale the Macaw
President Theodore Roosevelt's son, Theodore Jr., owned a macaw named Eli Yale. Roosevelt, an avid outdoorsman and environmentalist, owned dozens of pets throughout his life.
Old Whiskers the Goat
Old Whiskers, the Harrison family's pet goat, often pulled the children around the White House lawn in a cart.
An Alligator
The Marquis de Lafayette gave President John Quincy Adams an alligator in 1826. It resided in a bathroom in the East Room where Adams purportedly enjoyed using the alligator to startle guests.
Polly the Parrot
Exotic pets were a status symbol in the 18th century. Martha Washington had a parrot named Polly that President Washington is said to have hated due in part to the bird's penchant for laughing, sometimes at him.
