20 Historical Figures Who Loved Their Pets

Winston Churchill had a deep affection for his poodle, Rufus, during some of the most difficult years of his public life. The dog was part of Churchill’s inner circle at Chartwell and brought him a little warmth and comfort at a time when the rest of his life consisted of crisis rooms, speeches, and news that went from bad to worse.

Theodore Roosevelt’s White House was teeming with animals, which seemed perfectly normal for a president so passionate about nature. His family had dogs, guinea pigs, birds, snakes, ponies, and a badger named Josiah, which made 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue far less orderly than the official portraits would suggest.

Frida Kahlo kept animals all around the Casa Azul in Mexico City, including monkeys, parrots, dogs, and a deer named Granizo. This small private zoo wasn’t just there to keep her company; it’s clear that Kahlo drew inspiration from them. They appeared in her art, in her home, and in the intimate world she had built for herself to cope with long periods of suffering.

Florence Nightingale rescued a little owl in Greece and named it Athena. She kept the bird as a pet, and this story is a good example of that aspect of her personality that drove her to help living creatures in distress, even when she was traveling.

Anecdotes about Marie Antoinette’s pets have sparked some controversy, as is often the case with anything related to this beheaded queen. What can be said for certain is that her dogs were an integral part of her life, and that the affection she had for them reveals a more human side of a queen who is generally remembered for her fashion, politics, and the revolution.

Abraham Lincoln’s sons had two goats at the White House named Nanny and Nanko. These animals roamed all over the place, caused a bit of chaos, and brought some cheer to the family during the Civil War.

Queen Victoria adored Dash, her King Charles spaniel, even when she was still just a young princess. He was by her side throughout her teenage years and the early years of her reign, and the affection she showed him reveals a warmer, more human side of a monarch who is often remembered as a stern and formal woman.

Charles Dickens owned a raven named Grip. This bird was noisy, intelligent, and difficult, and Dickens even featured him in Barnaby Rudge. Grip’s fate was also intertwined with that of Edgar Allan Poe’s famous bird.

Fortune, Josephine Bonaparte’s pug, is linked to one of the most famous anecdotes about the pets during her marriage to Napoleon. It is said that this pug was very protective of Josephine and that he allegedly bit Napoleon on the leg on the couple’s wedding night. Although this incident led to a long-standing feud between the young general and his wife’s pet, Fortune was much loved by the empress.

Pablo Picasso had grown fond of Lump, a dachshund belonging to photographer David Douglas Duncan. Lump spent time with Picasso in France, appeared in the artist’s works, and brought a touch of slightly chaotic family comedy to a very hectic studio life.

Carlo, Emily Dickinson’s Newfoundland dog, was a faithful companion during her years in Amherst, Massachusetts. He accompanied her on her walks through fields and woods, and his constant presence made her solitary life a little less empty.

At the White House, during John F. Kennedy’s presidency, there was a whole menagerie of pets, including dogs, ponies, birds, and many others. Pushinka, a dog given as a gift by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, remains one of the most memorable. It’s amusing to note that, despite the diplomatic tensions of the Cold War, the family still managed to find a place for a puppy.

Mark Twain loved cats his whole life, usually keeping about twenty of them at home. He gave them names like Apollinaris, Beelzebub, Blatherskite, and Sour Mash, proving that even the most serious men could have fun—especially when it came to pets.

Alexander the Great’s horse, Bucephalus, has been linked to his legend for centuries. Alexander rode him throughout his military campaigns, and after the horse’s death, the city of Bucephalus was named in his memory.

Lord Byron raised a bear while studying at Trinity College, Cambridge, after college regulations prohibited him from keeping a dog. This was entirely in keeping with Byron’s style: impractical, theatrical, and bound to make the authorities regret every loophole they had left in the regulations.

Elvis Presley loved animals, and Graceland, in Memphis, has been home to many of them over the years. Dogs, horses, birds, and other creatures filled his private world, softening the image of a superstar whose life was on full display for all to see.

Chiquita, Josephine Baker’s cheetah, became an integral part of her public image in 1920s Paris. The animal wore a collar, regularly accompanied the singer on stage, and added a surprising touch to a career already considered glamorous.

Fala, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Scottish terrier, became one of the most famous presidential pets in the United States. He accompanied Roosevelt on his travels, appeared in photographs, and helped present a more endearing image of a president who led the country during World War II.

Ernest Hemingway’s house in Key West is still famous for its cats, many of which are polydactyl—meaning they have extra toes. The story dates back to a white, six-toed cat named Snow White, and even today, the cats remain one of the most distinctive aspects of the house’s legacy.

In the 1960s, Salvador Dalí owned an ocelot named Babou. Babou accompanied Dalí during his public appearances and fit perfectly into the artist’s carefully crafted, bizarre world of celebrity, performances, and surrealist spectacles.