Ted Kennedy's Dog Splash Dies At 13

BOSTON — The late Sen. Edward Kennedy's dog, Splash, who was the star of a children's book about Capitol Hill, has died.

Kennedy's widow, Vicki, announced his death in an e-mail Thursday. She calls the 13-year-old Portuguese water dog "a world-class fetcher of tennis balls and a meeter and greeter of presidents, senators, congressmen and even foreign dignitaries."

Splash may be best known for the 2006 children's book Kennedy wrote from Splash's point of view, called "My Senator and Me: A Dog's Eye View Of Washington, D.C."

Splash also made news after President Barack Obama took office. Kennedy gave the Obamas their dog, Bo, also a Portuguese water dog. The president had promised his daughters during his campaign to get them a puppy if he won.

Comments

[Robert Sr]

09:41 PM on 01/18/2011

I missed that very important notice about Splash. I suppose that there was a funeral. Where is Splash buried? . . . in Arlington, I hope . . . . I want to come to DC to visit Splash's grave. May Spash's soul and the souls of all of the other Kennedy pets rest in peace. Amen

r m kraus/akron

[ghee99]

06:20 PM on 12/26/2010

so very sorry to hear of this sweet dog's passing away

but OMG, did kennedy really name him "splash"?

wow!

thats almost unbelievable, i mean considering kennedy's past

surely, i can't be the only one who noticed this?

[right time right now]

02:36 PM on 12/26/2010

After Ted Kennedy's past, how could this man name his dog SPLASH ? God Bless

[MrMcTwister]

01:30 PM on 12/26/2010

Of all the things that could be put on the front page, HP decides on the death of a dog...

[Kalamama2]

12:58 PM on 12/26/2010

Why did I know I would come in here and see all these awful remarks?

Animals are part of a family, they are our friends and sometimes....the greatest light in a person's life.
They love unconditionally and make a profound difference.

Shame of you h8ters.

[temenos]

02:02 PM on 12/26/2010

Fanned!

[whatisrightisright]

11:55 AM on 12/26/2010

How vain, reporting on a dead dog. Its expected from huffpo.

[mollymac]

01:34 PM on 12/26/2010

How vain of you to even comment in general!

[Sean Woods]

11:49 AM on 12/26/2010

Man I don't care

[liveordie]

01:31 PM on 12/26/2010

No one cares if you care.

[mollymac]

01:35 PM on 12/26/2010

Dear Sean, and we don't care about you either.

[SaddleBum]

11:35 AM on 12/26/2010

i wonder how many homeless human beings died today.

[Strateshooter]

11:18 AM on 12/26/2010

Next HuffPo Headline: "Palin's Moose On The Loose'

[apoyo]

12:11 PM on 12/26/2010

LOL!

[TXfemmom]

11:18 AM on 12/26/2010

Let's face it, our four-legged friends are friends indeed.  My little Princess is 14, and I spend a lot of time with her...she is always up to a scratch behind the ears, is always excited when I return, and is great company.  She permits me to talk to her about anything and just quietly listens and then gives me a paw...what more could one want.  I am thankful for every day with her. 

[willpen]

03:15 PM on 12/26/2010

Thank you for this. Some people tend to forget the importance of pets in a person's life. They love unconditionally and ask for nothing in return. Rest in Peace sweet Splash. And shame on anyone who thinks otherwise.

[Jayson White]

11:04 AM on 12/26/2010

I adored Ted Kennedy. And I love dogs...but why I saw this on the front page of Huffington Post I will never know.

[valluhree]

10:59 AM on 12/26/2010

Well, one thing's for sure, Splash and Senator Kennedy are both probably playing in the afterlife together now. I met both of them when I was visiting DC for spring break in 2009, as they were taking a stroll (though Senator Kennedy was wheelchair-bound, I remember) through a park. They were both absolutely wonderful!
My condolences to Cappy and Sunny, and the rest of the Kennedy family.

[liveordie]

01:32 PM on 12/26/2010

Nice. It nullifies all the hate people spewed on this article.

[johnrandall]

12:30 AM on 12/27/2010

What a sweet memory that must be. Thanks.

[MikeElPaso]

10:52 AM on 12/27/2010

John, that looks like our dog your holding. Is that a Bishon Frise?

[Mag7]

10:48 AM on 12/26/2010

I know some of you will argue the validity of this as news, but you could always go away. But you're also the same people who won't spay or neuter your animals and won't keep the results. Animal shelters will be besieged in the next few weeks with Christmas 'returns' of dogs and cats because people didn't realize or consider the responsibility, or realize that puppies get big quickly. I know, I was tossed out on the side of a road in Alabama, but a nice family found me at a rescue shelter. And now I'm sleeping in front of a fireplace. I feel sorry for those who don't know the love and compassion us animals can bring.

[mollymac]

01:37 PM on 12/26/2010

Yay! Way to respond to these empty vessels who only think that humans matter. Actually, they probably don't care about each other.

[Totto]

10:42 AM on 12/26/2010

Thirteen seems a very premature death, perhaps Ted's death was part of the cause. Dogs mourn, too.

[mamadillo]

11:36 AM on 12/26/2010

For bigger breeds of dogs, 13 is not an unusual life span. However, I agree with you completely about dogs grieving for their "parents."

[Totto]

01:15 PM on 12/26/2010

"Moby", my best friend's black Lab, died at sixteen. I miss him greatly. He outfoxed me repeatedly, A very smart and loving dog.

[StarGazr5992]

10:24 AM on 12/26/2010

You have our sympathy any time a sweet dog pass's its always hard and during the holiday season it make's it harder