President Grover Cleveland and his wife Frances (or “Frank” as she was called) were animal lovers and their terms in the White House saw them as parents to several pets. In addition to imported fish, birds and chickens, the Clevelands owned several dogs. Among these many dogs were a group of foxhounds.
Grover was an avid outdoorsman and hunter. In fact, he wrote a book called Fishing and Shooting Sketches, and the very first line in the book is: “I am sure it is not necessary for me, at this late day, to dwell upon the fact that I am an enthusiast in my devotion to hunting and fishing, as well as every other kind of outdoor recreation.”
While the foxhounds’ names have been lost to history, doubtless Cleveland enjoyed hunting with them when he could. Several sources state that the foxhounds could often be seen running, playing, and chasing rabbits over the grounds of the White House.
