Fala Roosevelt: the true story of FDR's famous Scottish terrier

Part 1

Who was Fala and how he joined the Roosevelt family

Fala was born on April 7, 1940. He was a Scottish terrier trained as a puppy by Margaret Daisy Suckley, Roosevelt's cousin and close companion. Suckley gave Fala to Roosevelt as an early Christmas gift. If your own dog has a nickname that differs from a formal name, you already know how Fala got his. His original name was Big Boy. Roosevelt renamed him Murray the Outlaw of Falahill, after a Scottish ancestor named John Murray of Falahill. The name was later shortened to Fala.

Part 2

Life at the White House

Fala moved into the White House on November 10, 1940. He slept in a special chair at the foot of Roosevelt's bed. Every morning he had a bone brought up on the president's own breakfast tray. White House staff fed him extra treats until he became sick, so Roosevelt ordered that only he could feed Fala. If you have ever had to limit table scraps for your own dog, you know the trouble Fala caused the kitchen staff.

Fala became a national celebrity during the war years. Newspapers followed his movements closely, and he received thousands of letters, so many that he had a secretary appointed to answer his mail. His fame later gave him an unlikely role in Roosevelt's 1944 reelection campaign.

Part 3

The Fala speech and its political impact

In 1944, Fala traveled with Roosevelt on a trip that included a stop in the Aleutian Islands. A rumor spread that Fala had been left behind there and that the Navy had sent a destroyer back to retrieve him at great cost to taxpayers. Republican critics repeated the story during the campaign that fall. The story of Fala being left behind was false.

On September 23, 1944, Roosevelt spoke at a dinner for the Teamsters Union in Washington, D.C. The speech was broadcast nationally on the radio. Near the end, Roosevelt said Republicans had not been content attacking him, his wife, or his sons, and now included his little dog, and that Fala's Scotch soul was furious over the false story. The idea of turning the accusation into a joke came from Orson Welles, who supported Roosevelt's campaign.

The audience laughed and cheered, and the speech changed the tone of press coverage of the campaign. If you have ever seen a dog get more sympathy than the people around it, you understand why the joke landed so well. The speech changed the tone of press coverage of the campaign, and Roosevelt was elected to a fourth term weeks later.

Part 4

Fala after FDR's death

Roosevelt died in April 1945 at Warm Springs, Georgia. Fala attended his funeral. Afterward, Fala went to live with Eleanor Roosevelt at Val-Kill in Hyde Park, New York. There he spent his days running, playing, and chasing squirrels and cats. Eleanor later brought Fala's grandson, Tamas McFala, to Val-Kill to keep him company.

Fala died on April 5, 1952. He was buried in the Rose Garden near the graves of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. If you have ever cared for a dog who outlived someone you loved, you may recognize the quiet comfort of that kind of ending.

Part 5

Fala's lasting legacy

A bronze statue of Fala stands beside a statue of Roosevelt at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C. Fala is the only presidential pet honored with a statue there. Another statue of Fala has been placed at the Paseo de los Presidentes in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Fala became the most famous dog in America during his lifetime. Next time you tell your dog about a piece of history, Fala's story is a good one to share.