White House Pets

Narrated by Johnny Panzarella, this Animal Planet aired special showcases presidential pets through archival footage (including a really cute clip of JFK getting nuzzled by Macaroni the pony), little-known facts, and interviews with, among others, Laura Bush, former Clinton secretary (and current owner of cat Socks) Betty Currie, and Claire McLean, founder of the Presidential Pet Museum. More than 400 animals have resided at 1600 Pennsylvania, ranging from bears to wallabies, as well as cattle, sheep, and an alligator (Teddy Roosevelt's menagerie alone included a hyena, a badger, a one-legged rooster, and snakes). Some animals were gifts from dignitaries, while others, such as Nixon's cocker spaniel Checkers—made infamous during his notorious 1952 speech on illegal campaign contributions—followed their owners into the White House. White House Pets is loaded with trivia: Lincoln's dog Fido was also killed, FDR's Scottie Fala received his own memorial statue, King Tut the German Shepherd helped Hoover soften his image, and the Reagans were constantly dragged around by their excitable Bouvier Lucky. An interesting and timely documentary, considering the media's recent obsession with the Obamas' choice of dog, this fascinating look at animal life in the Oval Office is highly recommended. Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)