Hi, I’m Rosie the rescue dog. As a retired farm dog and mother of 4 who has found herself a new life of luxury after being rescued, I’d like to welcome the new rescue dog into our White House!
I’m 12 and I live with my new family in Santa Rosa, California. A lot is going on in my neighborhood, my state, and the whole United States right now. But I want to talk about one of the most exciting things happening on the other side of the country in Washington, D.C.
Major the Rescue Dog is Moving Into the White House!
Now I’ve never met Major in person, but we share a kindred spirit and a similar past. We’re both rescue dogs who were saved from a shelter by loving, two-legged humans. We’ve both waited in a kennel for our new families to come along, not knowing where we’d end up.
I’m so lucky to be adopted by an entire law firm of loving, supportive women! I get to go to work with my people, greet new clients, snooze in a comfy bed in my private office space, and get lots of pets and hugs all day long.
[Image of Major Biden courtesy of CNN]
Major, on the other hand, just moved into the White House with President Joe Biden’s family. I hear Major loves to run around on the South Lawn. Major was adopted from the Delaware Humane Association in 2018 so he is the first shelter dog to ever live in the White House.
But Major is not the first rescue dog to occupy the White House.
President Lyndon B. Johnson rescued his dog Yuki at a Texas gas station and they spent many hours “singing” together in the White House.
[Photo courtesy of the White House Historical Association]
I recently did some digging and found some fun Presidential Pet facts I bet you didn’t know. For instance…
- President Warren G. Harding had a dog named Laddie who sat in on important meetings in his own cabinet chair.
- President George H.W. Bush’s dog Millie became one of the most famous dogs in the White House when she gave birth to six pups and authored a book that earned nearly a million dollars which were donated to charity.
- President Franklin Delano Roosevelt also had a dog named Major who was a German Shepard just like President Biden’s pup.
- President Clinton’s companions, Socks and Buddy, received so many children’s letters, the First Lady compiled a book of letters and donated all proceeds to the National Park Foundation.
- President George W. Bush put a Barney-Cam on his dog Barney to give Americans a tour of the White House Christmas decorations.
- President Theodore Roosevelt’s family had more than just dogs and cats. Their pets included kangaroo rats, snakes, birds, and ponies. He even bred a mixed-breed dog which was recognized by the AKC and named the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier.
- Most recently, President Obama’s two Portuguese water dogs, Bo and Sunny, were famous for greeting children at the annual Easter Egg Roll and attending a 2014 State Dinner for French President François Hollande.
I Hope Major Biden Becomes a Spokes-dog for Shelter Animals
Major’s new celebrity is great publicity for shelters and humane societies around the country. He and I can break the myth that shelter pets have behavioral problems or won’t fit into a family. We are actually some of the best-natured, most easy-going pets you can have. In fact, in my family alone I am the 10th in a long line of rescued pets. Each one of us has been grateful for our new, comfortable lives and adopted families.
According to the ASPCA, 6.5 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters and around 1.5 million are euthanized each year. But in 2020, many more Americans adopted or fostered animals, since a lot more people were working from home, unemployed, or just at home because of the pandemic.
Katy Hansen, communications director at Animal Care Centers of NYC, reported that the number of homes willing to foster a pet in 2020 increased by 113% over 2019. Also, in 2019 her group only fostered about 6% of their animals, while in 2020 they fostered 25%! And of those who agreed to foster a pet, 31% have decided to permanently adopt them!! Every pet deserves a loving family, and every family deserves a loving pet.
Things are looking up for four-legged family members. I hope you’ll consider fostering or adopting a shelter pet of your own in 2021.
Woof, and keep your tails wagging!
Rosie
Rosie is a 12-year old Australian cattle dog mix who was formerly a Central Valley farm dog. This mother of four pups loves soft beds and brisk walks. She is a beloved companion to Attorneys Noreen Evans and Deirdre Kingsbury and occasionally dispenses motherly canine wisdom. She provides an unbiased ear and compassionate heart whenever consulted about important daily issues.
Rosie’s motto is the popular catchphrase, “Adopt Don’t Shop” and she hopes many four-legged friends still living at shelters and humane societies will find fur-ever homes in 2021. Rosie would love to meet you at our offices sometime soon. At Evans Kingsbury LLP we are trial lawyers with decades of trial and negotiation experience and a soft spot for our furry and feathered friends. Call us today at (707) 596-6090 or fill out our easy contact form to make an appointment.