According to Mental Floss, Jefferson did not want to keep the bears. He later wrote to his granddaughter, stating that the bears were too dangerous and troublesome. Jefferson decided to send them to his friend, Charles Peale (via Presidential Pet Museum). Peale was a painter who had opened a museum in Philadelphia that displayed curiosities, objects, and at times, living animals.

Although he had a previous difficult experience with a grizzly bear at his museum, Peale could not say no to his friend. Per Monticello, the bears were delivered to Peale in January 1808. He wrote to Jefferson of his hopes of breeding them and seeing their growth. This however, never happened. The bears outgrew their cages and became threatening. One of them broke out and had to be shot dead. Sadly, the other was also put down and they were both mounted and displayed.

Oddly enough, the grizzly bears might not be the strangest pets that have lived at the White House. Previous pets include a racoon named Rebecca, a swearing parrot, an alligator, and a dog named Satan (per Business Insider).