This week's collection of whimsical and curious stories is once more inspired* by the US presidential elections. However, we are going to once again steer clear of the scorched earth surrounding the actual politics and take a look at something far more interesting - presidential pets. And yes, there will be alligators. There are always alligators.
US presidents have filled the White House with their favourite fury (or scaly) companions since the days of George Washington. Those pets did not only include a Biblical variety of species but also had some truly terrific names. Below are some of the highlights:
George Washington: Proud owner of four Coonhounds named "Drunkard", "Taster", "Tippler", and "Tipsy" (not necessarily in that order). He was also gifted an Andalusian donkey by King Charles III of Spain (luckily, diplomatic relations between the two countries have since recovered from this)
John Adam: Owned at least one dog named "Satan"
Thomas Jefferson: Was gifted two grizzly bear cubs by the magnificently named Captain Zebulon Montgomery Pike
John Quincy Adams: Yes, here come the alligators. The one in Adam's care was said to have belonged to the Marquis de Lafayette (naturally) and was allegedly housed for two months in the East Room
Andrew Jackson: His grey parrot "Polly" was taught to swear. Apparently had to be removed from Jackson's funeral due to loud and persistent profanity
Martin Van Buren: Briefly owned two tiger cubs (making him possibly the original all American tiger king)
Abraham Lincoln: In a rather cruel twist of fate, Lincoln's dog "Fido" was assassinated a few months after Lincoln himself (by a drunk with a knife)
Andrew Jackson: Proceeded to just adopt the white mice he found in his bedroom
Benjamin Harrison: Owner of two opossums ("Mr. Reciprocity" and "Mr. Protection") named after the then Republican party platform. Also owned two alligators.
Theodore Roosevelt: Among the many pets of the 26th president was a garter snake named after his sister ("Emily") and a laughing hyena named "Bill" (a gift from Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia)
Calvin Coolidge: Owned two lion cubs (named "Tax Reduction" and "Budget Bureau" - and yes, that is not a typo). His pygmy hippopotamus ("Billy") seems rather pedestrian in comparison.
Lyndon B. Johnson: Two beagles named somewhat efficiently "Him" and "Her"
The bar is set high for whoever will win this election (though only the current challenger owns pets: two dogs named "Major" and "Champ").
P.S. After his 2020 election victory, Joe Biden took his dogs to the White House. As of June 2022, there have not been any alligators.
--
*using "inspired" in the broadest possible sense
Comments