Viewpoint: Bring the Pets Home

Gretchen Kent, Viewpoint Editor

If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say one of the things college students most miss from home is their dog, or cat, yes, but dogs so much more. They’re always there for you when you go home, wagging those happy tails and accusing you of leaving with their puppy dog eyes. Do cats, I ask, jump all over you at the door trying to make up for lost affection? I certainly lament my dog’s weeks-long absence between visits home. 

There are countless articles and studies about the positive effects of growing up with a pet at home. The New York Times holds family pets accountable for increased empathy, trust, and responsibility in children as well as improved social skills, mood, and self-worth.  

Having completed the critical development stages with pets as kids, why can we not continue to reap the benefits in college? During this stressful, decisive time in our lives, we may need pets even more. 

Many landlords of student housing off campus, unfortunately, prohibit pets. All my landlord allows is fish. I can’t squeeze my pet fish for comfort or take him on walks to blow off steam or tell him how cute he is, now can I? Thus, if having a pet during the school year is a priority for you, find a place that accommodates that decision or finagle it into your lease to pay a little extra for animals. 

The next best thing, of course, is to make friends with someone housing a dog or cat and unofficially move in with them. Or, drum roll…. Dog sit! It is much easier to dog sit than cat sit. No litter box to smell, clean, or get in the way, no furry paws walking over the counters or trying to escape, and unconditional love to be had at any point in your vexing paper-writing process.  

Last week my roommates and I owned Zeus the rescue dog for a week and it was probably the best week of the semester any of us had. I didn’t care that I had to walk him around the block every morning before class to do his business- I got to eat my peanut butter and carrot breakfast outside for a change! I didn’t care that he occasionally jumped onto the couch and got a few stray hairs on the furniture- I got to pet and snuggle a dog while doing homework for Pete’s sake. 

Our dog provided so much warmth, and so much love last week that by the last day our college house had become a college home. I dare say that our sleep-deprived hearts grew three sizes that day. 

To all the dorm residents out there- I’m truly sorry. Your time for a college pet will come, you just have to liberate yourself from those cinder block cells first.  

Now quick, call up your landlord and bring those pets home, for they truly belong here with you