Despite difficulties, students opt to be pet owners
Law student Anna Idelevich, 22, plays with Hooch, top, a 19-month-old golden retriever and Stanley, a 4-month-old golden retriever, May 2 at Emory University in Atlanta.
Amid the chaos of exams and extracurricular activities, some students choose to add another responsibility to their busy lifestyles: taking care of a pet.
A furry friend can be particularly challenging when navigating a barrage of protocols at local humane societies or restrictions within housing contracts that prohibit pets. Despite the hurdles and added tasks involved, many students have opted to take on the challenge.
Deb Kern, the marketing director at the Humane Society of Huron Valley in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said that in order to ensure that an animal will be properly cared for, the organization allows only individuals 21 and older to adopt, and each potential owner must fill out paperwork and surveys to guarantee eligibility.
Kern said the benefits of having a pet on campus are vast, especially for students that grew up with animals and feel the need to fill the void left by leaving loved ones behind.
“One of the things we’ve found is that if you’ve grown up with a pet and you’re away from your animal for the first time, there’s kind of a longing, you feel that bond with your pet or your animal,” Kern said. “For some students, it’s a big stress reliever to have that to come home to, because of that unconditional love that’s there for them.”
She added that students should be cognizant of the time and money needed to care for a pet, and should also determine if they will be able to care for a pet in the long term.
“On average, to care for one cat for a year, it’s probably going to be $800-$1000 and you have to think about that,” Kern said. “That’s food, litter, vaccinations — things like that. You’ve got to make sure that you can actually afford that.”
Carolyn Killeen, a student at Ohio State University, purchased her Labrador Retriever, Molly, with her boyfriend of four years. She said navigating their busy schedules in order to care for Molly was initially challenging, but they were able to eventually develop a system.
“In the first few weeks of bringing her back to school I was constantly worried and felt guilty for leaving her when she was still so small,” Killeen said. “After a while it became a lot easier as we fell into a routine and incorporating dog friendly activities into our life. Now it seems so integrated into our lives that its hard to imagine life pre-Molly.”
Marisa Wetmore, a student at the University of Michigan, adopted her cat with her boyfriend. Due to restrictions on pet-ownership at her house, the kitten lives exclusively with her boyfriend, who is allowed to have pets at an additional fee.
However, to bypass the additional cost, Wetmore said she and her boyfriend have kept the cat a secret from the landlord.
“The only difficulty is moving the kitten and all his things when my boyfriend's landlords come to check the house out,” Wetmore said. “It's worked out so far, we just move the kitten to my room for a few hours and then move him back when the landlords are finished.”
Kara Concheck, a student at the University of California-Fresno, said she has encountered difficulties balancing her responsibilities as a member of the women’s lacrosse team with caring for her German Shepherd.
Despite the challenges, she said she is fully dedicated to her pooch.
“Being a division I college athlete, I have found it hard at times,” she said. “My days are packed. But I always make the time. My dog is one of my main priorities, her health and well-being are important to me.”
She added that though she is unsure what she plans to do after graduation, she aims to ensure that her dog remains an important part of her life.
“I have been concerned when it comes to what future job opportunities I may have and where they will take me; but I know that no matter what, I will find a way to support my dog and be a great dog owner,” she said.
Bethany Biron is a Fall 2012 Paste BN Collegiate Correspondent. Learn more about her here.
This story originally appeared on the Paste BN College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.