Gerald R. Ford and Liberty in the Oval Office
ParentsHerald.com reflected on the many Presidential pets of the First Family, many of which that have called the White House home. With other notable examples, Gerald and Betty’s pet, Liberty, was well known during their time in the White House.
Liberty, a golden retriever, was born in February 1974 and frequently visited President Ford in the Oval Office, and President Ford himself would walk the dog around the White House lawn. Liberty was a gift to Gerald and Betty Ford from their daughter Susan and White House Photographer David Hume Kennerly. In September 1975, Liberty gave birth to nine puppies at the White House. The Fords kept one pup for themselves, naming it Misty.
Other examples of pets during Presidential pets included:
- John F. Kennedy – cat, rabbit, canary, horse, ponies, hamsters, Welsh terrier, German Shepard, Irish Wolfhound and parakeets
- Lyndon B. Johnson – beagles, collie, hamsters and lovebirds
- Ronald Reagan – Bouvier des Flanders, Cavalier King Charles, golden retriever, Irish setter, Siberian husky, Belgian sheepdog and horses
- Barack Obama – Portuguese water dogs
To to read more from ParentHerald.com, please visit: http://www.parentherald.com/articles/21202/20160217/presidential-pets-presidents-who-kept-pets-in-the-white-house.htm
