Barack and Michelle Obama Mourn Death of Family Dog Bo

On Saturday, Barack and Michelle Obama announced the death of their family dog, Bo.

“Today our family lost a true friend and loyal companion,” wrote Barack Obama alongside a series of photos of Bo, who they welcomed into their family in 2009.

“For more than a decade, Bo was a constant, gentle presence in our lives—happy to see us on our good days, our bad days, and everyday in between,” he continued. “He tolerated all the fuss that came with being in the White House, had a big bark but no bite, loved to jump in the pool in the summer, was unflappable with children, lived for scraps around the dinner table, and had great hair. He was exactly what we needed and more than we ever expected. We will miss him dearly."

Former Democratic Massachusetts senator Ted Kennedy gifted Bo to the Obama daughters, Sasha and Malia. They later welcomed their second dog, Sunny, to the family in 2013.

“This afternoon was a difficult one for our family. We said goodbye to our best friend—our dog, Bo—after a battle with cancer,” wrote Michelle Obama on her post about the loss of Bo. “On the campaign trail in 2008, we promised our daughters that we would get a puppy after the election. At the time, Bo was supposed to be a companion for the girls. We had no idea how much he would mean to all of us.”

She also reflected on how the family was able to spend more time with Bo this past year than before due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “With everyone back home during the pandemic, no one was happier than Bo,” she remarked. “All his people were under one roof again—just like the day we got him. I will always be grateful that Bo and the girls got to spend so much time together at the end.”