Lincoln was like more than a few of us whose pets have run of the house these days: He also left to those friends the dog’s favorite horsehair sofa on which to nap, as well as a long, specific list of rules for how Fido was to be treated during his waking hours. For example, Fido was not to be scolded if he came inside with muddy paws, and he was to be fed from the dinner table.
Lincoln’s attitudes and relationships with animals were in some ways ahead of their time. Matthew Algeo, author of the new book, Abe & Fido: Lincoln’s Love of Animals and the Touching Story of His Favorite Canine Companion, paints a picture of Lincoln as a deeply compassionate and empathetic person, whose respect for life extended from his fellow men all the way down to the smallest creatures.