Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States of America on January 20, 2021 in the midst of a global pandemic. Though many monumental achievements have been made with this inauguration, including the election of the first female Vice President Kamala Harris, another achievement, though some may say less monumental than this, has restored balance in the U.S. government. The return of pets to the White House.

Most of the U.S. presidents have had pets from horses, pigs, bears, and squirrels, with the only exceptions being President James Polk and President Donald Trump. President Andrew Johnson did not technically serve in the White House with pets, but he did become friends with some white mice he found in the White House and even personally fed them. Some presidents even had enough pets to fill a zoo, specifically Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States who had over 24 species of pets over his two terms according to the National Parks Service. According to White House History.com, some pets simply provided companionship to the president and his family. Others gained fame for a role in shaping the president’s public image. No matter what job was bestowed upon them, White House pets usually did it well. President Joe Biden is the 44th president to have pets in the White House with his German shepherds named Champ and Major. 

Champ, the elder of the two dogs has been in the White House before when Joe Biden was the Vice President under President Barack Obama. According to NPR, Joe Biden promised his wife he would purchase a dog after the 2008 presidential election should Barack Obama manage to win the race. Jill Biden taped different pictures of dogs on seats of Biden’s campaign plane for him to see. He purchased the dog as a puppy from a breeder in Pennsylvania, and it was named Champ (born October 2008) by his granddaughters. 

Major, the younger of the two, is the first shelter dog to live in the White House as the pet of a president. Major (born January 2018) was a rescue from a litter that had been exposed to “something toxic” in their home, and their owner was unable to afford the expense of veterinary care for them. He was fostered by the Bidens earlier that year from the Delaware Humane Association’s shelter and has been with them since late 2018. On the day Joe Biden adopted the dog from the shelter, he stayed “telling stories and taking selfies with staffers” for over an hour.

According to the CDC, pets can help manage loneliness and depression by giving us companionship. Most households in the United States have at least one pet. Studies have shown that the bond between people and their pets can increase fitness, lower stress, and bring happiness to their owners. It does seem strange that almost 96% of the U.S. Presidents had pets, but could make sense because of the excess stress from being the most important leader in the country. Whatever the reasons, we are excited to welcome Champ and Major Biden into the White House as the First Dogs!