Celebrate President’s Day With Your Pet?

“If exhausted from severe and long-continued thought, he had to touch the earth again to renew his strength. When this weariness set in he would stop thought, and get down with a little dog or kitten to recover.”
–William Herndon, Abraham Lincoln’s business partner

The above quote describes the president’s belief in the therapeutic power of the human-animal bond. Honest Abe was on to something, and just a few years later American Humane Association was founded on the very same values. Since 1877 we’ve celebrated this special link between people, pets, and the world we share and have been at the forefront of every major advancement in the protection of children and animals from cruelty, abuse, and neglect.As we honor all of our nation’s leaders past and present on Presidents Day, I am reminded of the countless links between the First Families and their beloved pets during their time in the White House. From Lincoln and his dog Fido, to FDR and his Scottish Terrier Fala, from Nixon and Checkers, to Clinton and Socks the cat, presidents have always had a major love affair with pets.And the Presidential link to animals doesn’t end with their dogs or cats. In 1940, for example, President Roosevelt signed into law a bill lobbied by American Humane Association, protecting the bald eagle, our national bird!Consider making a contribution to American Humane Association today so we can continue our nearly 150 year-old legacy of promoting the human-animal bond — something so near and dear to the heart of the great President Lincoln.

Robin R. Ganzert, PhD
President and CEO