THE US: Buddy, the chocolate-coloured retriever once seen bounding around the White House gardens with Bill Clinton, was killed by a car near the former president's home in Chappaqua, New York, police said yesterday.
A police officer said the dog was hit on Wednesday afternoon but it was not clear whether it was being walked at the time or had wandered off the property owned by Mr Clinton and his wife, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The Clintons got Buddy in 1997, just weeks before the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke. The dog was named after the president's great-uncle, Henry "Buddy" Grisham, who had died earlier that year.
He was one of two "First Pets" but didn't get along very well with the Clinton's cat Socks. When the Clintons left the White House, Socks went to live with Betty Currie, who had been the former president's secretary.
Mr Clinton's then spokesman, Mr Mike McCurry, said at the time that Mr Clinton got the dog, a present from a friend, because "It's the president's desire to have one loyal friend in Washington."
Mr Clinton's spokeswoman, Ms Julia Payne said the Clintons were "deeply saddened by Buddy's death". "He was a loyal companion and brought us much joy," she added.