When moving into the White House, it’s common for presidents to bring along their pets as well. But unlike most of us, who adore our dogs, cats, or even hamsters, some strange presidential pets have made it behind those white walls. From exotic animals to just bizarre critters, these are some of the strangest presidential pets throughout U.S. history that will shock you.
6. Thomas Jefferson
America’s Founding Father and third president of the United States ran from 1801 to 1809. Interestingly enough, Jefferson is known for having strange presidential pets. Particularly, Thomas Jefferson was known for having several mockingbirds in his lifetime. He bought his first one from a slave and later bought two more. One of his most beloved mockingbirds was reported to be quite smart and loving, often singing in Jefferson’s study.
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5. Benjamin Harrison
Next on the list of weird presidential pets is Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president who served from 1889 to 1893. Harrison was known for having a soft spot for his family and often spent time with them and their pets on the White House lawn. One pet in particular was Old Whiskers, a tough goat who was quite rough. The goat was often used to pull a small carriage. However, there was a moment when the goat took off running with the kids still attached, leading to a chase into the streets of Washington, DC.
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4. Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson, the seventh president who served from 1829 to 1837, is next on the list when it comes to strange presidential pets. Unfortunately, Jackson held chicken-fighting matches at the White House. But along with that, the president purchased an African gray parrot for his wife, who was able to mimic human speech and evidently picked up Jackson’s habit of swearing. Fun fact: The parrot swore so much at Jackson’s funeral that the reverend had to remove it from the premises.
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3. John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, serving from 1825 to 1829, is another icon when it comes to having strange presidential pets at the White House. This pet was actually a gift from French general Marquis de Lafaeyette, but instead of something cuddly and sweet, it was an alligator. Unfortunately, Adams didn’t have anywhere to put the giant reptile, so he kept it in the bathtub in an unfinished portion of the White House and would often shock guests by showing the alligator off.
2. Calvin Coolidge
President Calvin Coolidge, who assumed office in 1923, brought an abundance of strange presidential pets as well. Aside from the standard pets like cats and dogs, Coolidge also homed a bobcat, a donkey, two raccoons, a lion’s cub, a wallaby, and the most famed, a hippo named Billy. The baby hippo was captured in Liberia by Harvey Firestone, the founder of Firestone Tires, who gave it to Coolidge.
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1. Teddy Roosevelt
The 26th President began his Presidency in 1901, and with it came several of the family’s pets. Some of the strange presidential pets include a small bear, a lizard, several guinea pigs, a pig, a badger, a blue macaw, a hen, a one-legged rooster, a hyena, a barn owl, a rabbit, and a pony. There was even an incident with Roosevelt’s son who brought home four snakes, making party officials scramble out of the office. The Roosevelts also had several dogs, from a Chesapeake retriever to a bull terrier.
