Buzz
It might seem that as the leader of the free world, the president of the United States would have neither the time nor the inclination to care for a variety of exotic animals. Yet, the combination of their love for animals and the financial support of American taxpayers made the desire for more than just a dog too irresistible to ignore.
10. Billy the Pygmy Hippopotamus
Calvin Coolidge had a great affection for animals. If he were around today, he might be featured on an episode of Animal Hoarders. He had six dogs, a cat, two lions, a goose, a bobcat, an antelope, a wallaby, and a raccoon named Rebecca, whom he would take on walks with a leash. He could have easily raised funds for the government by charging for access to his personal zoo, but he didn’t. When word about his collection reached millionaire mogul Harvey Firestone of Firestone Tires, Billy the pygmy hippo arrived at the White House. Firestone had found the young pygmy hippo wandering the desolate lands of Liberia and, captivated by its irresistible cuteness, decided to keep him. However, Billy wasn’t cute for long—he grew to 600 pounds and over six feet in length, and despite his charm, feeding him became too costly, even for a millionaire. Firestone gave Billy to the president as a gift, and Coolidge accepted. He kept Billy for the remainder of his presidency and later donated him to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, as pygmy hippos were critically endangered at the time. Billy proved to be quite the fertile little hippo, fathering 23 offspring, making nearly every hippo in zoos across the U.S. traceable to his lineage.
9. Old-Ike the Sheep
When Woodrow Wilson ran for re-election in 1916, his slogan was “He kept us out of war.” But when he was forced to declare war in 1917, he was determined to minimize the cost. While searching for ways to reduce expenses, he found an unexpected solution: the White House Lawn’s maintenance. Wilson couldn’t bear to see taxpayers footing exorbitant bills for landscapers, so he enlisted the help of a flock of sheep. The sheep grazed on trees, shrubs, and grass on the grounds, and in the summer, Wilson had their wool sheared and sold it to raise funds for the Red Cross relief efforts abroad. His favorite among them was Old Ike, a large ram known for chewing tobacco during his downtime. Eventually, as the flock’s numbers swelled to 18, Wilson auctioned them off, donating the proceeds to the Salvation Army.
8. Algonquin the Pony
Archie Roosevelt may be the only child in history who ever shouted, “I want a pony!” and actually received one. Teddy Roosevelt and his family had many pets—including a macaw, rats, and a snake—but none were as infamous as Algonquin, their calico pony. One day, when Archie was bedridden with the measles, footman Charlie Reeder helped the Roosevelt children sneak the pony up the White House elevator and into Archie’s room to cheer him up. Overjoyed to see the pony, Archie lunged toward it, startling the pony and causing it to slip and fall, creating a loud crash that alarmed everyone in the White House. Teddy reportedly scolded the children, but his concern was more for the pony’s safety. In fact, nearly everyone who spent time with the Roosevelts during their time in the White House claimed that Teddy had a deep love for all their animals and took an active role in their care.
7. Grizzly Bears
In 1803, Thomas Jefferson dispatched a group of explorers westward in search of what lay beyond the endless forests of the Louisiana Purchase. One of these explorers, Captain Zebulon Pike, captured two wild and ferocious grizzly bear cubs and decided they would make the perfect gift for Jefferson. Jefferson was fond of the cubs and described them as “perfectly gentle,” but they quickly outgrew their welcome. He arranged for them to be sent to a museum in Philadelphia, but, as is often the case with government procedures, the process took months. In the meantime, Jefferson housed the grizzly bears in small cages on the White House lawn. When the cubs finally arrived at the museum, they escaped their enclosure, causing chaos throughout the building and eventually cornering the museum’s owner in the kitchen. They were killed, but, in typical fashion, they were preserved and displayed as part of a profitable exhibit. Some animals, it seems, are better off left in the wild.
6. Jonathan Edwards the Black Bear
Republicans from West Virginia gave Teddy Roosevelt a black bear, found in the wild and completely untamable, which seemed like a joke. However, Teddy wasn’t amused—he absolutely loved it! He would leash the bear and take it for walks, feeding it honey and nuts, even engaging in rough play as if it were a massive, angry dog. He named it Jonathan Edwards after a Puritan minister, who was an ancestor of his wife, Edith. Teddy described its personality as “a temper in which gloom and strength were combined in what the children regarded as Calvinistic proportions.” In other words, it was really bad-tempered. As with many presidential animals, the bear eventually became too much of a handful and was donated to the local zoo.
5. Alligators
Marquis de Lafayette, a French general who fought in the American Revolution, gave his good friend John Quincy Adams a gift that would keep on giving—an alligator. Adams was reportedly puzzled by the gift and even more confused when asked what he planned to do with it. After some thought, he decided the perfect place for his new pet would be the bathtub in the East Room bathroom. Initially, it was just an odd and inconvenient token to honor his friend Lafayette, but over time, Adams actually came to enjoy his new companion. When dignitaries visited and asked to use the restroom, he would guide them to the East Room and watch as they sprinted out in terror, all while laughing maniacally.
4. Pauline Wayne
President William H. Taft had a large family. For years, their milk supply came from their cow, “Mooley Wooly.” However, when Mooley could no longer produce enough milk for the 300-pound president and his family, she was sent to live on a farm in upstate Wisconsin. By sheer coincidence, Wisconsin Senator Isaac Stephenson gave Taft a Holstein cow named Pauline Wayne. The entire Taft family quickly became fond of her, and for the rest of their time in the White House, Pauline roamed the lawn and provided ample milk. When their time in the White House ended, Pauline was sent back to Wisconsin, where the other cows resented her newfound fame.
3. Josiah the Badger
While visiting Sharon Springs, Kansas, Teddy Roosevelt was approached by a little girl who offered him a baby badger she and her brother had just caught. Not only did Roosevelt accept, he was thrilled beyond measure. He bottle-fed the badger and kept it on the front platform of his presidential train for the long journey back to the White House. Along the way, he made stops in several cities, where he showed the animal to schoolchildren and accepted other gifts, including two bears, a lizard, a horned toad, and a horse. Upon reaching the White House, he filed down the badger’s teeth and let it roam free. The badger, known for its hissing and spitting, would charge at anyone walking by and nip at their ankles. Eventually, the staff and family grew tired of being ambushed, and the badger was donated to the Bronx Zoo.
2. Two Tiger Cubs
Martin van Buren, often remembered as one of the most despised presidents in U.S. history, had a surprising admirer—the Sultan of Oman. To show his admiration, the Sultan gave van Buren a pair of tiger cubs as a gift. Known for his lavish lifestyle and ornate attire, it was shocking to many that van Buren grew quite fond of the cubs and wanted to keep them. However, Congress had other ideas. Technically, the cubs weren’t a personal gift—they were considered property of the American people. Heartbroken, van Buren packed the cubs into a shoebox and, while sulking throughout the entire journey, donated them to a local zoo.
1. Possums and Goat
President Benjamin Harrison had such a love for animals that he often wore them, at least when it came to his two opossums, Mr. Reciprocity and Mr. Protection. Legislators would often see him walking around with the opossums scrambling over his legs and shoulders, but his pet goat, Old Whiskers, was the true source of his embarrassment. Old Whiskers was notorious for being one of the most cantankerous goats in history, and he despised being used as the puller for the Harrison grandchildren’s private stagecoach. One day, while trotting around the lawn, Old Whiskers suddenly decided to make a run for it. He charged through the White House gate and bolted up and down Pennsylvania Avenue. The president and his aides chased him for blocks, and after finally capturing him, the grandchildren were no longer eager to treat him as their personal draft horse. The goat had the last laugh.
