WILMINGTON, DE – His name is Major and he will be the first ‘shelter dog’ ever to live in the White House. This week, President-Elect Joe Biden adopted Major, a rags to riches story from a Delaware animal shelter to take along with him to the White House.
“Major Biden is on his way to Washington as The White House’s first shelter dog! Major is a rags-to-riches story that showcases the potential of shelter dogs when they’re given a chance through adoption. Make a donation today to give homeless animals a chance, and we will send your name and message to the Biden Family in appreciation of your support,” the Delaware Humane Association said.
The DHA fostered young Major from his time as a young and playful puppy and he was adopted by Biden back in March after Biden’s daughter Ashley sent him a Facebook post about the DHA’s new litter of German Shephards.
The White House was without pets during the Trump administration. The White House has been home to pets since it was built and Presidential pets go back to the days of George Washington, who never actually lived in the White House, but was instrumental in its design and construction.
As President, Washington had several pets including fox hounds, coon hounds, and even a donkey named Royal Gift. John Adams, the first President to live in the White House had three dogs named Juno, Mark, and Satan. Adams also had two horses named Cleopatra and Caesar.
Abraham Lincoln turned the White House into his own personal petting zoo owning goats named Nanny and Nanko; Jack the Turkey; Fido and Jip the dogs; cats Tabbie and Dixie; a rabbit and a horse named Old Bob.
The last pets to live in the White House were Barrack Obama’s dogs, Bo and Sunny. George W. Bush had an English Springer Spaniel called Spotty, a Scottish Terrier named Barney, a Scottish Terrier named Miss Beazley, and Willie the cat.
Bill Clinton had Socks the cat and Buddy, a chocolate Labrador retriever.