Posted on 10/21/2017 12:07:00 PM PDT by Colonel Kangaroo
Washington (CNN)He campaigned and won vowing to shake up Washington. Now, President Donald Trump is again breaking with tradition on a more personal matter: keeping a pet at the White House.
The illustrious tradition of keeping pets in the White House dates back to Thomas Jefferson, who kept a mockingbird and a couple of bear cubs during his presidency. Throughout the years, presidential pets became celebrities of sorts.
"It softens their image, it broadens their appeal," Ed Lengel, chief historian at the White House Historical Association, told CNN. "They help create an atmosphere of the White House as a family, a lived-in place and not just a stiff museum, but a place where a family lives and plays and enjoys each other's company." For an image-conscious President, Trump seems to be in little rush to add a furry friend to the White House brood, making his the only first family in modern presidential history without a pet.
"There are no plans at this time" to add a pet to the first family, East Wing communications director Stephanie Grisham told CNN.
Trump lived with a poodle, Chappy, with his first wife, Ivana, who wrote in her memoir, "Raising Trump," that "Donald was not a dog fan."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
DANG!!! That reminds me, long ago I had a pet skunk named Waldo. In the late 70’s you could buy “descented” skunks at pet stores.
He was an absolutely horrible pet. Skunks are nocturnal, he slept all day, raised a ruckus all night. He refused to be box-trained. Even descented he still smelled horrible and I bathed him every day. One day he got really mad at me and latched onto my hand with his teeth. My husband had to nearly break his jaw trying to make him let go. I had him for five years and then one day he sneaked out of the yard, never saw him again.
Not surprised since he had to get over shaking hands with people. Who CARES? Better to be honest than a FAKE dog owner like the last administration.
And mother in law.
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