Personal Pet of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was a pleasant diversion during World War II when the country was bombarded by causality reports, battlefield reversals and images of the nightmares of war. Fala was a constant companion of FDR. He traveled everywhere with the President from short trips by car, train and boat to long historic journeys such as the Atlantic Charter Conference in Newfoundland with Winston Churchill. Fala went on inspection trips of defense plants and visited Monterey, Mexico and President Camacho. He went to the Quebec Conferences and even went on a sea trip to the Aleutian Islands. This Scottish terrier was given to the President by a relative when almost fully grown and came with the ability to perform many simple tricks. He could sit up, rollover, jump and curl his lip into a smile. Fala was a constant presence in the Oval Office and while FDR had breakfast, he snacked on a bone brought in by the Whitehouse staff. The dog received thousands of letters from people. A special secretary answered his mail. He was the poster dog for the army promoting its K9 Corps given the honorary rank of private as well as a symbol for bond drives. He was constantly mentioned in political addresses. When the president died, Fala was photographed attending his masters graveside burial. Never adjusting well to his loss, he became the companion of Mrs. Roosevelt living quietly at her residence at Val-Kill, Hyde Park. A movie was made about Fala and his life in Hyde Park and is now shown to the many visitors coming to the Roosevelt Museum and Library. He passed away at the age of twelve and was interred in the Rose Garden where FDR played as a child, a few feet from the burial place of his master and mistress.
Personal Pet of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was a pleasant diversion during World War II when the country was bombarded by causality reports, battlefield reversals and images of the nightmares of war. Fala was a constant companion of FDR. He traveled everywhere with the President from short trips by car, train and boat to long historic journeys such as the Atlantic Charter Conference in Newfoundland with Winston Churchill. Fala went on inspection trips of defense plants and visited Monterey, Mexico and President Camacho. He went to the Quebec Conferences and even went on a sea trip to the Aleutian Islands. This Scottish terrier was given to the President by a relative when almost fully grown and came with the ability to perform many simple tricks. He could sit up, rollover, jump and curl his lip into a smile. Fala was a constant presence in the Oval Office and while FDR had breakfast, he snacked on a bone brought in by the Whitehouse staff. The dog received thousands of letters from people. A special secretary answered his mail. He was the poster dog for the army promoting its K9 Corps given the honorary rank of private as well as a symbol for bond drives. He was constantly mentioned in political addresses. When the president died, Fala was photographed attending his masters graveside burial. Never adjusting well to his loss, he became the companion of Mrs. Roosevelt living quietly at her residence at Val-Kill, Hyde Park. A movie was made about Fala and his life in Hyde Park and is now shown to the many visitors coming to the Roosevelt Museum and Library. He passed away at the age of twelve and was interred in the Rose Garden where FDR played as a child, a few feet from the burial place of his master and mistress.
Bio by: Donald Greyfield
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