Historical collection · Fala
A little companion, close by.
United States · 1940–1952
Behind the public life of a president was a Scottish terrier with a place in his daily routine.
Fala was born on April 7, 1940. Before joining Franklin D. Roosevelt, he was cared for and trained by the president's cousin, Margaret 'Daisy' Suckley. He moved into the White House on November 10 that year.
The FDR Presidential Library describes Fala accompanying Roosevelt on journeys by car, train and boat. At home, he slept in a chair at the foot of the president's bed. Those ordinary details make the story more personal than a list of famous appearances.
After Roosevelt died in 1945, Fala lived with Eleanor Roosevelt at Val-Kill. He died in 1952. The library's account preserves both his public adventures and the quieter routines of his life.
Moments in the record
April 7, 1940
Fala is born.
November 10, 1940
He moves into the White House.
After April 1945
He lives with Eleanor Roosevelt at Val-Kill.
Explore the original record
FDR Presidential Library & Museum — Fala BiographyView the 1941 photograph and its rights recordArchive record: Franklin D. Roosevelt Library / National Archives, December 20, 1941. Wikimedia Commons identifies this photograph as a U.S. federal government work in the public domain in the United States. Historical illustration, not an endorsement.
Sources reviewed October 9, 2026. Editorial summary by Pet Health Companion. No affiliation or endorsement is implied. Historical stories are not medical guidance.
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