From George Washington to Joe Biden: pets in the White House, a tradition of American presidents

When the next President of the United States enters the White House on January 20, there will be a rather rare void in these places. Indeed, there will be no more pets, a virtual tradition among most American presidents. Will Willow, the Bidens’ cat, leave the house to the mice?

Did you know that when Trump arrived at the White House in his first term in 2017, he ended more than 120 consecutive years of animal presence there? Indeed, the vast majority of successive American presidents have had one or more animals as companions during their stay at the White House.

And unlike the English way of doing things where a cat (the mouse hunter in chief) constantly lives at 10 Downing Street, although prime ministers come and go there, American presidents have their own pets that come and go. with them.

Especially dogs

Over time and mandates, the White House has welcomed a wide variety of pets. Dogs, mostly, but also cats, horses, birds and, let’s say, more exotic animals like hamsters, a cow named Pauline, a raccoon named Rebecca and an opossum named Billy Possum!

However, roughly speaking, 70% of American presidents’ pets are dogs. Cats are a good second.

Americans undoubtedly owe this generally popular way of doing things to George Washington and John Adams.

Washington was, in a way, the instigator, since he lived with several dogs and horses, but it was John Adams who first lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, in Washington, DC, and who lived with two dogs and a cat.

Closer to us in time, during their presidency the Bidens had three German shepherds, Champ, Major and Commander, then they had Willow, a beautiful short-haired tabby cat.

At the White House, the Obamas adopted Bo, then Sunny, two Portuguese water dogs. George W. Bush and his wife had Beazley Barney and Miss Beazley, two Scottish terriers, as well as Spot, an English springer.

The Clintons had a cat named Socks and a brown Labrador named Buddy.

Almost all American presidents, whether Johnson, Ford, Carter, Nixon, John F. Kennedy, George HW Bush or Reagan, have had animals during their presidency.

Question d’image?

According to some views in psychology, having a pet can benefit the president, because it would be perceived by the public as more humane.

Indeed, caring for an animal means being responsible and capable of empathy. How you care for an animal can reveal the guardian or owner’s own values ​​and character. Finally, we know that animals are capable of creating a bridge between people, regardless of their allegiances. With rare exceptions, having an animal is well-regarded by the public.

It seems that only three American presidents, JK Polk, A. Johnson and D. Trump, never had animals during their tenure in the White House.

Mr. Trump’s return to the White House will therefore be without pets.

Sometimes it is said that when the cat is gone, the mice dance. Will this be the case? It’s worth seeing! Former President Truman once said, “If you want friends in Washington, have a dog.” The future president once told the media that for him, having a dog would sound wrong and that he was too busy to have one. Perhaps it’s better this way, because having a dog requires a good deal of time, but also affection, attention and empathy.