19th President Rutherford B. Hayes and his wife Lucy were like many Presidential families before and after them: They loved animals and their pets were part of daily life at the White House. One of the lucky Presidential pets that lived with the Hayes family was Otis, a Miniature Schnauzer.
Being that this is so far back in time, not much is known about Otis. He certainly would have been smaller than his Newfoundland brother Hector – miniature schnauzers generally stand only 12-14 inches tall.
While controversy surrounded President Hayes before and during his Presidency, one thing cannot be disputed – the pair did indeed love animals and treated their pets as family. Presumably this would include Otis and one hopes he lived a long and happy life with the Hayes.
