Spot, Bush's Dog Has Died

White House web page | Press Secretary

[cajuncooker]

Statement by the Press Secretary

February 21, 2004

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

The President and Mrs. Bush and the entire Bush family are deeply saddened by the passing of Spot. A loyal and loving companion, Spot was a beloved member of the Bush family for nearly 15 years. She will be missed.

[Keith in Iowa]

AP Story...


Bush Dog Put to Sleep Due to Health Woes

ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush's dog Spot, the 15-year-old English springer spaniel who had remained eager to please despite increasing health troubles, died on Saturday.

Bush and his wife, Laura, went along with a veterinarian's recommendation to put Spotty, as the longtime Bush family pet was known, to sleep, according to White House spokesman Allen Abney. She had suffered a series of strokes recently, including one this week, he said.

"The president and Mrs. Bush and the entire Bush family are deeply saddened by the passing of Spot," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Saturday in a statement. "A loyal and loving companion, Spot was a beloved member of the Bush family for nearly 15 years. She will be missed."

Spot was no stranger to the White House. She was born there to Millie, the well-known dog of Bush's parents, former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, in 1989.

The friendly brown-and-white spaniel was regularly seen ambling around the West Wing and the South Lawn alongside the more energetic other Bush dog, Barney, a black 3-year-old Scottish terrier.

The two dogs were routinely brought out to greet the president upon his return to the White House from trips, no matter the hour, and often traveled with the Bushes to Texas or Camp David. Spot was always the more obedient, dutifully clambering onto a helicopter or Air Force One with no prompting while Bush often had to chase Barney down and hand him off to an aide to be carried aboard.

Mrs. Bush has often said that - especially with Bushes' two daughters off at college - talking about and playing with the dogs and the family's much more reclusive cat, Willy, make up a significant portion of the First Couple's entertainment.

[Mears]

Thanks for the pic,Sam.

My last dog lasted 13 years and the "puppy" I bought to replace her is now 12.

Very tough,losing a pet.

[Salamander]

It's been nearly 2 years for me butit does get "better".
The unbearable emptiness eventually fades to simply sadness.
Eventually the sadness changes to wistful, fond memories.

I understand how you feel.

[Samwise]

Old Men miss many dogs.

Old women, too. That was sweet, Hair.

Rest in peace, Spot.

[Jewels1091]

I know what you mean...we had to put our black lab down 3 years ago due to cancer, she was 13, now her daughter is 13 and I'm afraid we don't have a lot of time with her. We have 4 dogs now, and each are loved as much as I love my kids. It still hurts to think of having to put my baby down, but she was in such pain and it was selfish of me to want her to stay with me.

[tet68]

Stroke, aw that's hard.
My heart goes out to them.

[cyncooper]

Well, I must say that is a very sweet article courtesy of the AP. Good for them.

[Amelia]

I hate to hear that. My lab died at age 14, 6 years ago, and I still miss her terribly.

[Kaslin]

My daughter had a homepage that she dedicated to her dog we had to put to sleep several years ago She added the poem as a tribute

[Quix]

Nawwww,

this was a Socks job, purrr N simple.

[Quix]

Clearly,

Socks has taken up Fosterizing as a nostalgic throwback to the Black Times in the White House years.

[Jackie]

†

[Salamander]

My other 2 Ibizan Hounds went "funny" after Minnie died.
It was as though they felt "2" was wrong since "3" was all they'd ever known.
8 months later, little Phoebe (their biologial niece) came into our lives and the balance has been restored.
Now they're a pack, in triplicate again.
You can't take one out of the living room without the other 2 pitching a fit.....:))
Get a pal for Daisy-dog. [and yourself]

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Thank you. (As you can probably tell, I need all the help I can get right now.)

[rintense]

How sad. Spotty was such a great dog for GWB.

[Lauratealeaf]

I didn't know that Spot's middle name was Fletcher. That's my middle name. This is so sad. We lost our dog Pattertwig last September. She was fifteen.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Did you ever get another dog, Amelia? I won't make the mistake of having just one this time. I will have at least two...so that they will have each other, and so that the emptiness won't be so profound when one is lost. It's just awful.

[Mo1]

Oh wow ... such sad news

[el_texicano]

I have loved reading most all the posts on this thread. Like many of us here, I've known the loss of a close friend and pet more times than I would care to remember.

I know there will be sympathy expressed to the President and First Lady Laura. I would love to know just how strong that sympathy is expressed from the whole country. I also know that this president is deeply loved by many in this country.

In this political climate it will be interesting to see what the response nationwide will be.

[rintense]

Wow. Spotty was almost 15 years old. What an incredible life for a dog!