White House Pets: Animal Ambassadors

Gallery

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Airedale terrier Laddie Boy hosted the White House Easter Egg Roll in 1923 when President and Mrs. Warren G. Harding were away on a trip in Georgia.
Library of Congress
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In a highly publicized campaign, Fala donated toys to promote scrap rubber collection for the war effort in 1942.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
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Charlie and Pushinka sit on the South Lawn in 1961. Pushinka was a gift to the Kennedy family from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev that year.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
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President and Mrs. Gerald Ford and daughter Susan pet their golden retriever Liberty and her puppies. The Fords donated one of Liberty’s famous pups to a guide dog program for the blind as a means of publicizing this cause in 1975.
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
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President Ronald Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with sheep dog Lucky in the Rose Garden, 1985.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
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Barbara Bush proudly shows the puppies of Millie, an English springer spaniel, to King Hussein of Jordan, 1989.
George Bush Presidential Library and Museum/NARA

About this Gallery

With the growth of pet keeping and the widespread marketing of animals and pet products in American society by the late nineteenth century, public interest in presidential animals and pets grew exponentially. Whether purchased or received as gifts from well-wishers or foreign officials, pets became minor celebrities and goodwill ambassadors used to promote causes or smooth diplomatic relations. With the rise of the mass media and the increasing international importance of the American presidency, White House pets often came into the spotlight.

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The Presidents

Biographies & Portraits
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The First Ladies

Biographies & Portraits
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White House Easter Egg Roll

Since 1878, American presidents and their families have celebrated Easter Monday by hosting an "egg roll" party. Held on the South Lawn, it is one of the oldest annual events in White House history. It has changed and evolved through the years and each First Family has put their stamp on the popular public event. From the roll's origins to today,
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Animal Ambassadors

Animals, whether pampered household pets, working livestock, birds, squirrels, or strays, have long been a major part of White House life. Some pets provided companionship to the president and his family. Others gained fame for a role in shaping the president's image. No matter what job was bestowed upon them, pets at the Executive Mansion did it well.This collection
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Our Partnership with the Washington Nationals

White House history and American baseball history have been intertwined for more than a century, creating a rich legacy of presidential fans, championship celebrations, and more than a few first pitches. During a three-year partnership with the Washington Nationals, the Association was able to reach a new audience with our mission through a fun, educational collaboration that elevates White House
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UNTOLD History

In 2022, the White House Historical Association began partnering with UNTOLD, a project of the Driving Force Institute for Public Engagement, on a series of short educational videos highlighting lesser-known stories in White House history. These videos are produced by Makematic with support from DoGoodery.
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Top Dogs at the White House

Families taking up residence at the White House since the Theodore Roosevelt administration have encountered the public's insatiable appetite for stories of everyday life in the Executive Mansion. With the common reproduction of photographs in newspapers and magazines by the early 20th century, presidential pets had to accept the same scrutiny as their distinguished masters. Whether providing companionship or humanizing
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White House Pets: Merry Menagerie

Two of the youngest presidents to reside in the White House brought their families and a menagerie of pets along with them. A pony, sheep, dogs, cats, a macaw, guinea pigs, rats, a snake, and many more animal friends lived at the Theodore Roosevelt White House. In 1908 the Washington Evening Star observed, "There is no home in Washington so full
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White House Pets

Animals -- whether pampered household pets, working livestock, birds, squirrels, or strays -- have long been a major part of life at the White House. Some pets simply provided companionship to the president and his family. Others gained fame for a role in shaping the president's public image. No matter what job was bestowed upon them, White House pets usually
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William Seale - In Memoriam 1939–2019

Dr. William Seale, whose contributions to the programs and publications of the White House Historical Association for more than forty years were instrumental in shaping the Association’s study and dissemination of White House history, passed away on November 21, 2019, following a long illness. His unique approach to the study of history through biography, architecture, landscape, and cultural context expanded the pu
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Sharing White House History about George Washington

The White House Historical Association and presidential libraries, historic homes, and museums have a shared goal of providing access to presidential history. Below you will find a variety of digital educational resources compiled by the White House Historical Association that have been sourced from presidential sites relating to President George Washington. George Washington Birthplace National MonumentRequest Curriculum MaterialsLearn about the
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White House Horses

American presidents throughout history have appreciated the utility and admired the grandeur of the horse. The visual image of the hero elevated on horseback has been a constant presence in equestrian art and public sculpture throughout the world. George Washington regarded horses as a source of pardonable pride, and his warhorses were of great importance to him as loyal companions