Random Presidents Had Crazy Pets (13 items)

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  (#1) Theodore Roosevelt

  • Dec. at 61 (1858-1919)

  It's possible that famed outdoorsman Teddy Roosevelt brought more pets to the White House than any other president. His furry friends included a bear named Jonathan Edwards, Bill the lizard, a badger named Josiah, a pig named Maude, a hyena, an owl, a garter snake named Emily Spinach, a rabbit, a blue macaw named Eli Yale, a one-legged rooster, a hen named Baron Spreckle, and a beloved pony named Algonquin. TR also had five guinea pigs: Admiral Dewey, Fighting Bob Evans, Bishop Doane, Father O'Grady, and Dr. Johnson. Roosevelt owned many dogs, too, including a bull terrier known to bite.
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  (#7) William Howard Taft

  • Dec. at 73 (1857-1930)

  During William Howard Taft's time as president, no milk delivery companies existed in the capital. Luckily, Taft owned several cows in his lifetime and brought one named Mooly Wooly to the White House with him.

  When Mooly Wooly passed away, Taft adopted 4-year-old cow Pauline Wayne. She earned the nickname "Queen of the Capital Cows” and lived quite the life. Pauline became a celebrity, and the administration sold bottles of her milk for 50 cents each - with one man sneaking onto the White House lawn to steal milk from the cow. The New York Times even reported on Pauline's arrival at the White House.
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  (#12) James Madison

  • Dec. at 85 (1751-1836)

  Widely credited with writing the Bill of Rights, President James Madison also owned a green macaw - or more accurately, his wife Dolley did. The First Lady named the bird Polly, and it often rode on her shoulder as she greeted guests at the White House.

  Extremely popular with visitors - especially young children - Polly loved swearing and once attacked a woman at the White House. Unfortunately, Polly met her end thanks to a hungry hawk.
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  (#9) George Washington

  • Dec. at 67 (1732-1799)

  Birds played a role in George Washington's household, as he and his wife Martha owned multiple parrots during their lifetime. Though Martha loved the birds more than the other household pets, Washington revealed his true feelings in a letter before his move to Mount Vernon: "On one side I am called upon to remember the Parrot, on the other to remember the dog. For my own part I should not pine much if both were forgot." Martha owned many more parrots during her life, likely to Washington's chagrin.
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  (#6) Thomas Jefferson

  • Dec. at 83 (1743-1826)

  Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father and third president of the United States, had several mockingbirds in his lifetime. He bought the first from a slave for only five shillings and later owned two more. Jefferson's most beloved mockingbird, Dick, was reportedly quite smart and loving. The bird sang to the president in his study, and Jefferson allowed Dick to roam the room freely.
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  (#11) James Buchanan

  • Dec. at 77 (1791-1868)

  While President James Buchanan failed to prevent the Civil War, he did bring some unusual animals to America. Buchanan accepted an offer from the King of Siam (modern Thailand) to bring a herd of elephants to the United States. It's unclear if Buchanan kept any of the elephants as pets, though some sources claim he did.

  The same king also tried giving Abraham Lincoln an army of elephants to aid in his fight against the Confederacy - enough to "populate all of America." And if that's not weird enough, someone even gifted Buchanan a pair of bald eagles, who lived at the president's home near Lancaster, PA.

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