Responsible Pet Ownership Starts at the Top
The Presidential Pet Museum
Responsible Pet Ownership Starts at the Top
By Claire McLean
PETS AND PRESIDENTS, Presidents and Pets, Discover the Connection. The Presidential Pet Museum Association has discovered the connection, and plans are underway to open a multi-million dollar Presidential Pet Museum in Downtown D. C. in 2010. This new unique and spectacular attraction will spotlight national history, and personal Presidential moments through the eyes and lives of pets at the White House.
The number four hundred is close to the many animals and other creatures that crept, crawled, plodded, padded or hoofed their way into the history of the White House and the Presidency. Nearly all of these animals made a little history of their own. Some of these creatures, “great and small” reached fame and fortune, others were more popular than their illustrious masters, some were sent promptly to Zoos, farms, or friends. Some, as gifts, were returned. Others found a niche in the history books and through their eyes, tell us a story about the history of our Nation and how all four hundred of these animals gave us more to write about regarding the Presidency and the first families than we otherwise would not have..
The First Families, as responsible caretakers, show us the importance of responsible Pet Ownership and how the public regards their stewardship. There is much information to be found about Presidents and animals that give us a vision into the true nature of the men who lead the Country. Conclusions vary, but the facts speak volumes about human behavior.
George Washington, at Mount Vernon, was the leader in Presidential animal husbandry as he recorded over 30 hounds and other animals as he used as breeding and hunting stock. The animal inventory at Mount Vernon at one time reached over 150. Washington’s interest in hounds, Briards, Wolfhounds, turkeys, geese, mules and other critters was formidable. The list of Presidential “Pets” grows quickly then, counting the horses of the earlier Presidents, the gifts from dignitaries, the personal pets of each President, the ménage of Abraham Lincoln, including the a first litter of cats, and Calvin Coolidge impressive family of domestic, exotic and wild animals. Many wild species such as lion cubs, a wallaby, a pigmy hippo and a bear, were added to the National Zoo by Grace and Calvin Coolidge and again by Theodore Roosevelt and his large family... Not as many animals reside at the White House now, but the importance of their image in the political scene is just as important now as it has been in the past. It will be the job of the Presidential Pet Museum to preserve, to exhibit and to explore that fabulous connection… Pets and Presidents, Presidents and Pets.
Not only does the Museum have over 400 animals to portray and examine, but they have hundreds of “tails” to be wagged and stories to be told showing moments in history, moments in the lives of the first families, and spectacular events that included animals. We also have a duty of making the responsible care of animals come alive to the visitor.
All of our Presidents knew the value of Animals and birds, wild and domestic, in their Presidency, and while Chester A. Arthur, Millard Fillmore and James Polk escape our scrutiny, every other Commander has had a pet, a favorite farm animal, or enacted legislation benefiting wildlife. .
Although there is no record of him having said it, Harry Truman is credited with saying “If you want a friend in Washington, Get a dog.”, and yet he is known to have returned the sweet yellow Cocker Spaniel named Feller which caused the dog loving public to be quite disturbed with their President. He did see the error of his ways though and afterwards allowed his daughter Margaret to let her English setter, Mike, reside at the White House. Calvin Coolidge is to have said “Any man who does not like dogs and does not want them about; doe not deserve to be in the White House.” While Clinton was “Cat” a pulted into the White House dog less, by his second term he came to see the advantage and point in courting the dog loving pubic. The Time Paw Polls saw in the first election that Dole’s Schnauzer, aptly named Leader, out polled Socks the cat by 51.1% even though it didn’t have a chance to unseat the cat, it may have lead to Buddy, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever becoming a big favorite in the next election.. Thomas Jefferson wanted to populate America with “the most careful, intelligent dogs in the world” and chose the French Briard by placing some with nearby landowners. He is said to have instituted the first dog license by asking all dog owners to collar their animals and to be responsible for all their mischief.
President Andrew Jackson showed his soft nature by writing to his new daughter in law, Sarah in l852 proclaiming that “A dog is one of the most affectionate of all the animal species and is worthy of regard, and Andrew’s (his son) attachments for his dog is an evidence of the goodness of his heart”. Our Presidents show goodness of heart during their private and personal moments with the animals they have bonded with.
Woodrow Wilson who was mostly dog less, did not die dog less and is to have pronounced that “ if a dog will not come to you after he has looked you in the face,’ he exclaimed, you might to go home and examine your conscience.”
⋅ And so the Stories and the tales go on. While Pets are certainly not into Politics, it is certain that Presidents are into Pets, and it is the one umbrella interest that crosses all Party lines and unites a common cause, the Public’s fascination with Pets and the Presidency. We are almost certain that the next President and the next will have the same desire to show warmth of character and acknowledgment of the human/animal bond by showing off his interest in and affection for the animal companions that share the top dog status in Washington D. C. The Presidential Pet Museum is going to bring that notion home to the pet loving public and do it in a way that will showcase American History and our first families. To that goal, the Presidential Pet Museum Association has hired Lord Cultural Resources to handle the Museum planning and Powe Jones Architects will handle the Museum design. Emerge LLC will handle the Museums public relations and Marketing. Also Announced is the commissioning of a Life Size bronze of Barney Bush by Richard Chashoudian. Anyone wishing to be listed as a contributor to this project and have their name listed on its pedestal should contact Helen Krisko at 301-365-5150 or Claire McLean at 410-741-0904. Watch for a NBC DATELINE presentation on the Nations Pets to air soon with a segment on the White House Pets and the Presidential Pet Museum.
Responsible Pet Ownership Starts at the Top
By Claire McLean
PETS AND PRESIDENTS, Presidents and Pets, Discover the Connection. The Presidential Pet Museum Association has discovered the connection, and plans are underway to open a multi-million dollar Presidential Pet Museum in Downtown D. C. in 2010. This new unique and spectacular attraction will spotlight national history, and personal Presidential moments through the eyes and lives of pets at the White House.
The number four hundred is close to the many animals and other creatures that crept, crawled, plodded, padded or hoofed their way into the history of the White House and the Presidency. Nearly all of these animals made a little history of their own. Some of these creatures, “great and small” reached fame and fortune, others were more popular than their illustrious masters, some were sent promptly to Zoos, farms, or friends. Some, as gifts, were returned. Others found a niche in the history books and through their eyes, tell us a story about the history of our Nation and how all four hundred of these animals gave us more to write about regarding the Presidency and the first families than we otherwise would not have..
The First Families, as responsible caretakers, show us the importance of responsible Pet Ownership and how the public regards their stewardship. There is much information to be found about Presidents and animals that give us a vision into the true nature of the men who lead the Country. Conclusions vary, but the facts speak volumes about human behavior.
George Washington, at Mount Vernon, was the leader in Presidential animal husbandry as he recorded over 30 hounds and other animals as he used as breeding and hunting stock. The animal inventory at Mount Vernon at one time reached over 150. Washington’s interest in hounds, Briards, Wolfhounds, turkeys, geese, mules and other critters was formidable. The list of Presidential “Pets” grows quickly then, counting the horses of the earlier Presidents, the gifts from dignitaries, the personal pets of each President, the ménage of Abraham Lincoln, including the a first litter of cats, and Calvin Coolidge impressive family of domestic, exotic and wild animals. Many wild species such as lion cubs, a wallaby, a pigmy hippo and a bear, were added to the National Zoo by Grace and Calvin Coolidge and again by Theodore Roosevelt and his large family... Not as many animals reside at the White House now, but the importance of their image in the political scene is just as important now as it has been in the past. It will be the job of the Presidential Pet Museum to preserve, to exhibit and to explore that fabulous connection… Pets and Presidents, Presidents and Pets.
Not only does the Museum have over 400 animals to portray and examine, but they have hundreds of “tails” to be wagged and stories to be told showing moments in history, moments in the lives of the first families, and spectacular events that included animals. We also have a duty of making the responsible care of animals come alive to the visitor.
All of our Presidents knew the value of Animals and birds, wild and domestic, in their Presidency, and while Chester A. Arthur, Millard Fillmore and James Polk escape our scrutiny, every other Commander has had a pet, a favorite farm animal, or enacted legislation benefiting wildlife. .
Although there is no record of him having said it, Harry Truman is credited with saying “If you want a friend in Washington, Get a dog.”, and yet he is known to have returned the sweet yellow Cocker Spaniel named Feller which caused the dog loving public to be quite disturbed with their President. He did see the error of his ways though and afterwards allowed his daughter Margaret to let her English setter, Mike, reside at the White House. Calvin Coolidge is to have said “Any man who does not like dogs and does not want them about; doe not deserve to be in the White House.” While Clinton was “Cat” a pulted into the White House dog less, by his second term he came to see the advantage and point in courting the dog loving pubic. The Time Paw Polls saw in the first election that Dole’s Schnauzer, aptly named Leader, out polled Socks the cat by 51.1% even though it didn’t have a chance to unseat the cat, it may have lead to Buddy, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever becoming a big favorite in the next election.. Thomas Jefferson wanted to populate America with “the most careful, intelligent dogs in the world” and chose the French Briard by placing some with nearby landowners. He is said to have instituted the first dog license by asking all dog owners to collar their animals and to be responsible for all their mischief.
President Andrew Jackson showed his soft nature by writing to his new daughter in law, Sarah in l852 proclaiming that “A dog is one of the most affectionate of all the animal species and is worthy of regard, and Andrew’s (his son) attachments for his dog is an evidence of the goodness of his heart”. Our Presidents show goodness of heart during their private and personal moments with the animals they have bonded with.
Woodrow Wilson who was mostly dog less, did not die dog less and is to have pronounced that “ if a dog will not come to you after he has looked you in the face,’ he exclaimed, you might to go home and examine your conscience.”
⋅ And so the Stories and the tales go on. While Pets are certainly not into Politics, it is certain that Presidents are into Pets, and it is the one umbrella interest that crosses all Party lines and unites a common cause, the Public’s fascination with Pets and the Presidency. We are almost certain that the next President and the next will have the same desire to show warmth of character and acknowledgment of the human/animal bond by showing off his interest in and affection for the animal companions that share the top dog status in Washington D. C. The Presidential Pet Museum is going to bring that notion home to the pet loving public and do it in a way that will showcase American History and our first families. To that goal, the Presidential Pet Museum Association has hired Lord Cultural Resources to handle the Museum planning and Powe Jones Architects will handle the Museum design. Emerge LLC will handle the Museums public relations and Marketing. Also Announced is the commissioning of a Life Size bronze of Barney Bush by Richard Chashoudian. Anyone wishing to be listed as a contributor to this project and have their name listed on its pedestal should contact Helen Krisko at 301-365-5150 or Claire McLean at 410-741-0904. Watch for a NBC DATELINE presentation on the Nations Pets to air soon with a segment on the White House Pets and the Presidential Pet Museum.
posted by Claire McLean at 8:47 PM
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