> MY eight year old daughter is doing research on Thomas Jefferson and wants
> to know if he had any pets. Could you please answer this ASAP? Thank You.

Jefferson had horses, and was fond of horseback riding, but I have never
seen any reference to other animals as pets.  A friend who is an excellent
Jefferson scholar provided me with the following information:

"Jefferson had pets other than horses.  We know from letters exchanged between 
him and his brother Randolph that he had shepherd dogs -- probably because they 
were practical.    Isaac Jefferson was quoted as saying he "had dogs named 
Ceres, Bull, Armandy, and Claremont; most of 'em French dogs; he brought 'em 
over with him from France."  I know his son-in-law brought a dog to 
Monticello which ran back to Varina.  Th. Mann Randolph was amazed how 
quickly the dog returned home.  

"Also, Jefferson had cats while residing in Paris.  He instructed William 
Short about how to prepare cages for shipping a pair of his Angora cats to 
Monticello.  There were probably barn cats there too for rodent control.  

"Mockingbirds were Jefferson's favorite pets.  He began collecting them in 
1772.  He bought a "bird organ" while living in Paris, which was used to 
teach new songs to mocking birds.  It has been written that he taught his 
mockingbirds both Irish and Scottish tunes!  While living at the President's 
House, Jefferson kept up to four caged birds.  When he was alone, they were 
allowed to fly freely around the large rooms.  I have read that he also 
trained the birds to perch on his shoulder, where they sang and then took 
their reward of food directly from Jefferson's lips.  A bird was 
allowed to nap with Jefferson.  He brought the Washington birds back to 
Monticello when he retired.  His favorite mockingbird was named Dick.  

"Much of this kind of information is available in Thomas Jefferson Trivia: 
The Many Facets of a Fascinating Man, published in 2000 by Gene Crotty, 
a former UVA professor."