Theodore Roosevelt and family were not above calling barnyard animals their pets. They kept animals such as horses and chickens as close in their hearts as they did the family dogs and cats. One such Roosevelt pet was a white pig named Maude.
On January 29th, 1901, Roosevelt wrote his daughter Ethel and spoke of Maude the pig, who lived on Keystone Ranch. “You would be most amused with the animals round the ranch,” he writes. “The most thoroughly independent and self-possessed of them is a large white pig which we have christened Maude.” Roosevelt goes on to describe how Maude wanders freely about, picking up scraps while dismayed dogs look on. He also says Maude boldly takes alfalfa corn from the cows.
Maude has a rather unique distinction – she is one of the only pets to be immortalized in plush. Recently, she’s also had an apartment building in Seattle named after her. People seem to find this confident pig quite inspirational!
It is unknown what happened to Maude – likely she moved on with the Roosevelts when they left the White House.