President Roosevelt and Fala in the White House Study, Washington, DC, December 20, 1941. Fala (April 7, 1940 - April 5, 1952), a Scottish terrier, was the dog of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. One of the most famous presidential pets, Fala captured the attention of the public in the United States and followed Roosevelt everywhere, becoming part of his public image. Given to the Roosevelts by a cousin, Fala knew how to perform tricks; his White House antics were widely covered in the media and often referenced both by Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt. Fala survived Roosevelt by seven years and was buried beside him.