We often remember Abraham Lincoln for his speeches, his leadership through the Civil War, and the ultimate sacrifice he made for a divided country. But what if I told you that one of the most humanizing details about Lincoln—one that rarely makes the textbooks—was his deep bond with a dog named Fido?
Yes, Abraham Lincoln had a dog. And his name was Fido.
Fido was a mixed-breed mutt with a golden-reddish coat and a gentle temperament. He lived with the Lincoln family in Springfield, Illinois, before Abraham Lincoln became president. The two were inseparable—Fido followed Lincoln everywhere. He would wait for him outside barbershops, trot beside him on errands, and curl up near his feet at home.
But when Lincoln was elected president in 1860, everything changed. Washington D.C. was chaotic, loud, and unsafe for a nervous, skittish dog like Fido. Lincoln, not wanting to subject him to the noise of cannon fire and the stress of political life, made the heartbreaking decision to leave him behind.
Lincoln arranged for Fido to stay with a local family, the Roll family, who had children and a similar home environment. But Lincoln didn’t just leave the dog—he sent a set of instructions. Fido was not to be tied up, yelled at, or hit. He was to be fed table scraps—just like he was used to. And he was to be allowed inside the house.
But Fido’s story doesn’t end there—and neither does the tragedy.
After Lincoln’s assassination in 1865, his body was returned to Springfield for burial. As crowds gathered to mourn their fallen president, photographers realized that Lincoln’s loyal dog, still living with the Roll family, was a symbol of grief and remembrance. They staged photos with Fido in an effort to comfort the public and immortalize this canine connection to a president lost too soon.
But just a year later, in a tragic twist of irony, Fido was stabbed to death by a drunk man who the dog had startled. The dog that symbolized Lincoln’s compassion, gentleness, and humanity met a violent end in the same city where his master once walked.
Fido's story might seem like a small footnote in history—but it reminds us of something powerful: Even great men like Abraham Lincoln had deep emotional ties, simple routines, and everyday heartbreaks. Fido wasn’t just a pet. He was part of Lincoln’s humanity.
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