First Dog Barney Bush Commemorated on PETA’s Tree of Life

Published by PETA.

From Abigail Adams’ dogs, Juno and Satan, to Bo Obama, the animal companions who live at the White House become such a part of our country’s collective culture (there is even a Presidential Pet Museum!) that everyone, regardless of political affiliation, mourns their passing.

When we heard that President George W. Bush’s dog Barney, famous for his annual “BarneyCam” Christmas videos, died, PETA sent a letter of condolence to the Bush family, mentioning that a leaf with Barney’s name engraved on it would be added to the Tree of Life memorial sculpture at our Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters:

PETA received this gracious response from President Bush:


Whether you’re an ordinary Joe (or Jane) or the leader of the free world, when a dog takes hold of your heart, it’s the start of something very special. Make sure that your dogs know just how special they are to you before they turn off the lights forever by treating them right—and that includes making a proper fuss over them on a regular basis.

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 Ingrid E. Newkirk

“Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights?” READ MORE

— Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind