The 26th President and his family were animal lovers and spent much of their lives tending to their pets, which included the average dog and cat but also the more exotic, like badgers, bear, and owl. One rather unusual pet that the Roosevelts temporarily adopted was a coyote.
Very little is known about the coyote, not even if he had a name. But he did earn a brief mention by one notable White House staffer: Ira R. T. Smith. Smith worked in the White House mail room for more than 50 years. When he retired, he wrote a book, Dear Mr. President, about some of the things he had seen, and it is here that the coyote earns a mention:
“The gifts coming to the President covered an incredible range. A coyote sent to Teddy Roosevelt terrorized the White House offices when it escaped from its crate, but it turned out to be playful as a puppy,” Smith said.
Where the coyote came from, how long he lived with the family, and what eventually happened to him is lost to history. Most exotic or wild animals that were sent to the Roosevelts were settled in the National Zoo, so it is reasonable to assume that this is where the coyote went as well.
