Urbanite: Petropolis Archives

White House 'First Pets': A historical timeline

FDR with his beloved Scottish Terrier Fala (File).

By Lauren Johnston
In recent years, the White House has been inhabited mostly by dogs and cats. But in earlier decades its representatives from the animal kingdom were far more diverse:

George Washington: first president, 1789-97
Was called the father of the American foxhound after he bred English and French hounds and created a distinct breed. Mentioned dogs named Drunkard and Tipsy in his journals.

John Quincy Adams: sixth president, 1825-29
The Marquis de Lafayette is said to have given John Quincy Adams an alligator in 1826. The animal reportedly lived in the East Room.

Martin Van Buren: eighth president, 1837-41
He had two tiger cubs as pets.

Abraham Lincoln: 16th president, 1861-65
His son Tad had a pet turkey named Jack. The bird was intended for Thanksgiving dinner in 1863, but Lincoln pardoned it for his son - sparking a tradition that still continues.

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Posted by Jamshid Mousavinezhad on November 4, 2008 6:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

amNewYork Petropolis: All the presidents' pets

By Lauren Johnston

President Harry S. Truman famously said, “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog,” and several of his successors in the Oval Office have followed that advice.

In fact, many dogs living at the White House have been as well-known as their chief-executive masters - and sometimes more popular.

FDR’s Scottish Terrier Fala reportedly got more fan mail than he did. Richard M. Nixon's name is scandal-tarred, but everyone remembers his cocker spaniel Checkers fondly. And George W. Bush’s pups, Barney and Miss Beazley, don’t seem much affected by his record low approval ratings. They’re too busy starring in holiday videos on their Web site.

Clearly, the next pets to take the White House have some big paw prints to fill.

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Posted by Jamshid Mousavinezhad on November 4, 2008 5:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I was a judge at the Tompkins Square Park Dog Halloween Parade

Tricked-out dogs compete for treats at the 18th annual Tompkins Square Park dog Halloween Parade. (Photos/ AP, Getty Images)

By Lauren Johnston

How do you choose a winner from the wriggling, barking sea of super-cute costumed canines that show up each year for the premier East Village event of the year?

I’m talking, of course, about the Tompkins Square Park Dog Halloween Parade, which attracted more than 400 pups to its 18th annual contest on Sunday. And after participating as a judge for the first time, I can attest that picking the prize-winning pooches is tough work. [Parade PHOTOS here]

There are some unwritten rules that govern the choices and help narrow down the field of four-legged bugs, bats, hot dogs and princesses. Crafty (better yet, clever!) homemade costumes always take top honors.

Your pug might make the cutest honey bee this side of Avenue A, but if the costume is store-bought, Fuggedaboutit! Your dog ain't taking home a title.

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Posted by Jamshid Mousavinezhad on October 27, 2008 4:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Why you can't adopt a black cat for Halloween ...

By Jessica Firger

A sleek black cat rested in his cage at the front room of Hope Veterinary Clinic in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. His yellow eyes beckoned potential parents.

“My name is Poe,” read the sign on the front of his temporary home. “I am a 7-month-old, neutered male, and I am the Purr-fect Halloween cat.”

But the weeks leading up to Halloween can mean bad luck for black cats.

Some city pet shelters and adoption agencies ban black-cat adoptions this time of year – fearful the felines could be used for religious or sacrificial purposes by groups engaged in witchcraft and paranormal communication.

“We don’t adopt any black cats for most of October,” said Kiri Blakeley, a volunteer at Kitty Kind, a weekend adoption service located in the back of the PetCo store at Union Square. “We have a black out.”

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Posted by Jamshid Mousavinezhad on October 27, 2008 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Boo Wow! It's dog Halloween!

(Photos: KarenNgo.com

By Lauren Johnston

Tricks and treats are something your pet knows well. Fido sit! Get a treat. So it's no wonder that come Halloween, the city is creepy crawling with spooktacular events designed especially for the four-legged set. Here we've rounded up a ghoulish selection of costume contests and parties for you and your favorite little monster, ahem, pet.

Click through for listings from all five boroughs, and pet Halloween safety tips, spots to get pet-safe Halloween goodies, and links for online costume photo contests!

MANHATTAN

(UPDATE: Parade will be held on RAIN DATE)
Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade: Now in its 18th year, this is the oldest and biggest dog Halloween event in town. Last year it drew more than 250 dogs and 2,000 people. There are six iPod prizes this year, plus goodie bags and gift certificates from local businesses. The big question: Will anyone top last year's iDog costume? (Oct. 25, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., Admission $5, Raindate Oct. 26; Ave. A at 9th St.; www.firstrunfriends.org)

Animal Fair Magazine Halloween: This event combines comedy acts and pet costumes and will feature star costume judges Beth Ostrosky and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. Proceeds benefit the Humane Society of New York. (Oct. 27, 7 p.m. to 9 pm. at Mansion, 530 West 38th St., Tickets $50-$2500. For more information or to reserve your tickets, contact Anne Marie at (212) 752-4842 or e-mail yappy@animalfair

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Posted by Lauren Johnston on October 21, 2008 6:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Fun stuff for your DOG this weekend

Photo courtesy of Karen Ngo

The dogs in this city just can't wait until Halloween to show off their costumes, so they have dress-up events at two different locations this weekend. If your pooch has a killer costume, but sure to attend.

7th Annual My Dog Loves Central Park Country Fair: OK, this one isn't exaclty a Halloween event, but it's still happening this weekend and it's especially for your dog! There's an agility course, microchipping, dog adoption information and more. The event is Sat., Oct. 18, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enter the park at 72nd St. and head for the bandshell. For details, click [HERE].

Times Square Dog Masquerade: Times Square goes to the dogs for a fun-filled afternoon of canine camaraderie to raise awareness for Animal Haven’s Adopt-a-Pet program. Sunday, Oct. 19, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. More details [HERE].

Carl Schurz Park Halloween Party Head up to East End Ave. at 88th St. for the annual Halloween Howl Dog Costume competition. Sun., Oct. 19, 1 pm. to 3 p.m. More information [HERE].

And if you need some costume ideas, see this great dog photography blog by photographer Karen Ngo.

Posted by Lauren Johnston on October 17, 2008 5:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Q+A with a cat show contender

Rustling Rapunzel, Photo/Robin Beckett

By Lauren Johnston

More than 600 cats from all over the world will pad into Madison Square Garden this weekend for the CFA-IAMS Cat Championship, only one will be crowned the purrrfect contender.

We talked to Staten Island cat breeder Robin Beckett to see how Rustling Rapunzel ("Rappi"), her 5-month-old British Shorthair, is prepping for the competition and how much pampering goes on at home.

Q: How did you know "Rappi" had potential to be a show cat?

A: You learn by watching litters over the years what to look for and then you cross your fingers. Every breed has a standard, something as specific as ear shape or eye set. She had the widest head, the best ear set. She has an exquisite profile and fabulous eye color.

Q: How do you prep her to compete?

A: With kittens, you want to get them used to the way the judges will handle them. They will take a kitten and hold them up in the air. Also you want them to get used to activity and crowds. Cat strollers are becoming very common, so we'll take her for a walk in the stroller in our neighborhood and into Pet Smart. Even with all of that, you could get a kitten who appears to love to show but you get it in there, it will hate it.

Q: How pampered is your cat?

A: Our cats are members of the family first. My girls are all loose in the house, they sleep with us. We built an extension on the house for the boys. But you need to balance the [show] goals with the needs of the cat. These are pets first and the needs of the cats are always more important than the goal.

Posted by Lauren Johnston on October 16, 2008 4:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Would your dog rather chew McCain or Obama?

Who will your dog chew?

Do you have a politically-minded pooch at home who's just, like, so over rope tugs and Nylabones and would much prefer a more intellectual chew toy? Well, you're in luck - now they can gnaw on John McCain or Barack Obama.

These campaign dog toys come to you from the creators of the Michael Vick chew toy, Headline Pet Toys. The stuffed toys measure 11 inches tall and are made of cotton canvas and stuffed with polyester, and of course a squeaker for maximum chew satisfaction.

Maybe you want to get them the candidate they (you) support, or let them take a bite out of the White House hopeful they (you) just wanna sock every time you see them on TV.

It's probably too late to get these toys for tonight's town hall-style debate but you could get them in plenty of time [purchase here] for the third and final debate.

No word yet on whether the company will put out Joe Biden and Sarah Palin dolls. But as we told you last week, you can always dress your dog up like Sarah Palin -- either for the debate or Halloween.

Posted by Lauren Johnston on October 7, 2008 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)