Obamas to adopt a rescue dog, Michelle Obama announces

The Obamas are officially adopting a dog, America's dog lovers can rest assured.

Michelle Obama told Entertainment Tonight recently that the family would adopt a rescue dog after the election was over. Michelle and her Democratic presidential candidate husband, Barack, made the promise to their two pre-teen daughters (Malia and Sasha). The couple told the girls (and the press) that their campaign lifestyle wouldn't allow the family to properly train and care for a dog until after Nov. 4.

The announcement comes after summerlong campaigns to persuade the family not to get a goldendoodle, which the Obamas considered because the breed is hypoallergenic. The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to the Obamas saying getting a purebred would be elitist and a petition by the Best Friends Animal Society garnered over 50,000 signatures to persuade the Obamas to adopt a dog instead of having one bred or buying one.

PETA has already responded to the potential first lady's announcement on their blog:

So you can see why we're quite proud of this whole thing and thank everyone who weighed in. We hope that the Obama family really listened to our message, and we hope that Barack, Michelle, and their daughters find a loving mutt who needs a good home.

Now, with the campaign in its final few weeks, might this help the Democratic nominee with the animal set, especially since his Republican rival John McCain beat Obama in a polls of pet owners? In related news, there was the recent endorsement by the Humane Society Legislative Fund of the Obama-Biden ticket.

Either way, though, looks like the White House will have a dog in the next administration.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Photo credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Dominic Witzel]

Good decision.
What about adopting a retired greyhound? - they are known as hypoallergenic

[Tony P]

Way to go Obama!!! Rescue dogs are the way to go!!!

My rescue dog can be on the next box of Milkbones.

Please vote and help Rio!!

[becky]

I know a rescue that gets all sorts of rescued dogs from puppy mills. It would make a statement to rescue a mill dog :-)

[David G]

Great, now that we know that they're going to adopt let's let them know what breed and name they should go with: http://www.nameobamaspuppy.com

[Barry Hausman]

Its really great that the Obamas want to adopt a resue dog. We had a soft coated wheaten terrier. They have hair not fur and they are a non- allergenic breed of dog. The Wheatie is loyal, intelligent, loving, adorable, playfull and full of unbridled enthusiasm. Our guy's name was Zeuss and he passed two years ago and we miss him every single day. I can guarantee that the Obama family would be thrilled with a Wheaty. If not, I'm happy to take him off their hands.
P.S. we are so very happy that Barack won. He is an inspiration to us all.

[Ana Delgado]

I am so happy that Obamas Family has decided to adopt a dog rather to buy one. We know that thousand animals are waiting for lovely homes across Canada and EEUU. The people need to weak up and stop to buy pets because they are only supporting the bloody Puppy Mills, the place where dogs spending their entire life in a cramped wire cage, starving, sick and terrified.
President Obama you must give us the best ejemplo to adopt a defenseless dog who is wating for the litte girls. My son has horrible ashma crisis during many years. When he was 12 years old, I rescued a kitten no more than one week old from the street and BCSPCA did want to keep the kitten alive, they said, they don't have place niether money...mmm where is the generous donations that the people give to the organization? The doctor said: you cannot have a pet in your home. My son beg me to keep the little kitten. I told him, ok we can keep it, but if your crisis start to be worse we have to find someone that can adopt her. That was our agree. My son never, never had any other crisis, thank God, and our "Monona" came to our home just to give happiness to us. The doctor said, sometimes, kids need a pet to improve their health. They pay more attention to the mascots and feel more happy. Now my son is 26 years old and he is very grateful for that decision.
Good luck Obama Family and I hope other family try to take thay example to adopt from the shelter instated to buy one.
President Obama, we trust on you, we expect that you act with compassion and sensitivity with the Animals. They need to receive more protection from the humane being and give strong punishment against the people who treat the animals with a lot of cruelty.

[Jennifer Allanach]

The Obama's should consider a rescue Basenji for their new pet.
Basenji's originate from Africa, are hypoallergenic, odorless, shedless, and barkless! They average 22-28lbs and make excellent, clean pets.
There are Basenji rescue facilities around the country. I adopted my purebreed Basenji from the Southern California Basenji rescue.

[RoNnIe]

A basenji rescue would be so great. They are clean, compact, barkless and fun.The fact that they are a unique breed with a history that dates back to ancient egypt is cool too.
Although no matter what the girls decide I'm thrilled to hear they are going to save an unwanted dog! Now that would be a real rags to riches story.
(My second choice would be greyhound rescue :)

[Kathy Peck]

Ey! Chihuahaus..

The ultimate house dog... they are perky, smart, loyal, comfort loving dogs.

A close companion who is easy to train, easy to care for.

Very fearless brave little dogs.

[Mayumi Hu]

Please, adopt a dog from a resuce center. When you adopt one, you are actually saving two lives, as the rescue center will have an open space to welcome another needy animals to replace the one you adopt. I am a volunteer for a rescue center in Taiwan, where we have dogs from all kind of suffering. Obama has the power to influence our society on pet ownership. He could send a very strong message to so many people who make puppy meal a business and also to so many people who abandon their pets like a piece of old furniture when they are no longer small and cute...

[JenParr]

I was hoping he was getting a rescue dog! I saw it on a commercial and decided to look it up online! :)

[Mayumi Hu]

I am very disappointed to see that President Obama has adopted a pure breed dog. Now, this will become a fashion around the wourld and puppy mills and illegal breaders will benefit from it by massproding this same type of dog. How many people bought dalmatians after the 101 dalmatian movies and how many of those were abandoned after they were no longer cuddly, cute and small. the same happened to so many labradors, and many more... Mr President -- you should have adopted a homeless dog and give the exemple to the world to follow. When you adopt a pet from the shelter or rescue center, you are actually saving two lives. the one you adopted and the new one that can be taken in by the shelter or rescue center because of the open space. We have 70 helthy stray animals, all recovered from human abuse, abandon, negligence, etc... they all need a permanent loving home!