FAIL: Obama White House Pup Coming From A Kennel?

20
by Michael dEstries April 11, 2009
Categories: Animals
Tags: .

If true, this is some severely disappointing news. TMZ is reporting that the Obama family White House dog will arrive this coming Tuesday. But unlike all of the reassurances these past few months from President Obama that the dog would be rescued from a shelter, it now appears that it will come from a breeding kennel in Texas. From the article,

The pooch will make its grand entrance on Tuesday, and it’s coming from a prominent Texas kennel, with the help of Senator Ted Kennedy’s family. The black dog — a male — is approximately six months old. We’ve learned it was bred at the kennel and sold to someone who gave it back. The kennel is now “re-homing” the dog to the Obamas. The dog was named Charlie, but the Obamas will rename it.

Now here’s where the Kennedys come into play. The kennel has sold the Kennedys three Portuguese Water Dogs in the past, all from the same lineage. The dog the Obamas will be getting is from the same lineage as the Kennedy dogs. The Kennedy family will be presenting the new dog to the Obamas, but it’s really coming from the kennel.

Now, we’re taking this news as a half-truth since a.) it originated on TMZ and b.) nobody else has confirmed any of this. But seriously, if this is the Obama family’s definition of a shelter dog, then we’ve been having our chain yanked the entire time. More details as we get ‘em.


Categories: Animals
Tags: .

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →
  • KateAlexis

    I think that if this is true and people decide to make a big deal out of it that it is simply another display of people expecting our wonderful new leader to be perfect in everything he does. That is a high call people. He is still human. Kennel dogs aren’t rescue dogs but every dog alive has a right to a loving family in my mind, so if they found one that was unwanted and they want it then it should be kosher.

  • http://elainevigneault.com Elaine Vigneault

    That makes me extremely frustrated.

    There was a black Labrador-Poodle mix about a year old at my local shelter. I don’t know if he ever got adopted or if he was killed. Most likely he was killed.

  • wtf

    Actually TMZ is very credible so I believe this story. It’s very disappointing that a real shelter dog was choosen.

  • hil

    what a bummer

  • Steph

    This is def a bummer. I do hovere understand that they were looking for a specific breed due to allergies….but stil! i thought it was confirmed that they found a shelter dog that fit the bill.

  • tina

    Very disappointing. What’s he going to say now? Surely he knew shelter advocates were counting on him.

  • http://RawfoodsRetreat.com erin

    ok i’m a little confused. weren’t they going to get two dogs? one was going to be specially ordered (from a breeder or petfinder rescue from a breeder) that they had to get for his daughter’s allergies? then the other was going to be a pound dog? (which was confusing because, if she’s allergic then how could they get one special dog and one regular dog) looking fwd to more details.

    confused E

  • http://www.veganjapan.net herwin

    a politician that didnt keep his promise, i am so shocked ! what is this world coming to !

  • VeggieTart

    I’m terribly disappointed. The story I read is that Ted Kennedy got the dog as a “gift” for the girls.

  • birdgherl

    I am SO disappointed by this but the good news is that shelter and rescue dogs have made the news. I have noticed an increase in stories about puppy mills. I also understand that this dog is being re-homed so in a way, it is a rescue. The downside is that this was a breeder dog in the first place. I am also afraid that the Kennedy connection and talk of bloodlines will reignite the Obama-is-an-elitist talk.

  • Lisa Williamson

    I’m very sad that the Obamas broke their promise to get a dog from a shelter. That would have set such an amazing example. Now instead, we’ll have a run on unscrupulous breeders of Portuguese Water Dogs. Really sad.

  • Tula, Brazil

    I saw this on bbcworld satelite tv all morning. If it’s true this will effect abandoned dogs all over the world and the puppy mills owners will be given a boost! What a disapointment!

  • http://RawfoodsRetreat.com erin

    Herwin,

    You made my fuckin Easter. THANK you.

    E

  • http://vegan-la.com lex

    We can only hope for the best that this story isn’t true. When politicians can’t see past their plate at the injustice and torture all around them how can we expect them to do the same in the world. If this dog is from a breeder it just reenforces that Obama has a lot of learning ahead of him and that we should be cautious of all his possibly uneducated decisions to come.

  • http://www.nothoney.com sheryl, washington dc

    It’s a true story, you can read it on WaPo:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/11/AR2009041102484.html?hpid=topnews

    At the sanctuary where I volunteer this morning, we all expressed our disappointment in choosing a breeder over a shelter. But then, Obama chose Vilsack for Ag secretary …

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  • sarahmonty

    I think this is FINE if the breeder is an ethical one. Get a grip guys, there are bigger issues at hand!!

  • Ashley

    It’s not about whether the breeder is ethical or not, it’s about the fact that breeders are bringing animals into the world when there are already millions needing homes. In what way can that possibly be ethical?

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