Whenever I see someone holding a puppy on a college campus, I notice that all of the people in the vicinity stop what the are doing and motion over toward the adorable creature. But does anyone wonder if the person holding the animal should be responsible for taking care of it? The question I am posing is not really, “Should College Students Own Pets?” but is more asking, “Does it make sense for college students to own a pet?”
There are a lot of things to consider before taking the plunge to get a pet while you are struggling through your weed out classes. We all know that an Emotional Support Animal is the greatest scapegoat for college students to harbor animals in their non-pet friendly apartments, and that every landlord rolls their eyes each time they see the sketchy doctor’s note. There are many reasons to get a pet, do not get me wrong, but first, let me introduce you to some of the notorious factors that go into owning and supporting a pet:
You literally are responsible for their life... vaccinations and food are expensive.
With the costs that accumulate over the first couple months of owning a pet, it can be very overwhelming. Remember: you are their mom. You have to get your life together in order to have their life together. Personally, I took in a kitty during the summer after my sophomore year of college and I felt like the expenses just poured in. This includes vaccinations, neuter/spay, food, litter box, kitty-litter, toys, scratching posts and more, costing me about $400.00 at the end of the summer. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my little kitten, Jack, but it was definitely burning a hole in my already malnourished wallet. Also, consider:
The time that it takes to give an animal a nurturing home is more than you are prepared for:
Training your pet takes time, and especially takes loads of patience. If you do not have the energy to deal with sleepless nights, accidents on your carpet, or scratches on the furniture, then maybe consider volunteering instead of jumping into full-blown parenthood. ALSO: most apartments near campus are not pet friendly; you have to get a doctor to sign forms saying that you are using your pet as an emotional support animal, (which let’s face it, most people could claim they have depression, anxiety, stress…). This process can take forever, especially if your provider makes you go to therapy for a counselor to sign off on you, or the doctor will flat out reject your request.
But then again, most college students are under great amounts of stress and owning a pet helps to take away some of the frustration in life, and bonus: pets are super adorable and they add so much to your life. There is so much joy that comes from taking care of an animal, especially from all the hugs and cuddles. All the cute and new things that you discover when you first become a pet owner is so exciting, and is a completely new world! There are so many things that having a pet can teach a college student:
Time management: "I have to wake up 10 minutes earlier to make sure that Jack is fed in the morning before I leave for work"- me every day of summer.
Cleanliness: "Roxy had an accident in the middle of the night, guess I have to mop the floors now"-someone out there.
Patience: "I know that Blue is learning to walk on a leash, he'll get the hang of it eventually"- every college frat guy with a puppy.
Owning a pet is a great way to take responsibility for something other than yourself (great practice for parenthood!) Pets are also great for helping people (i.e. college students) de-stress and let go of their frustrations from the day. Personally, I found having a pet helped me to wake up easier in the morning because I had to be accountable and feed my little ball of sunshine, and after work I had something to come home to that made my day feel it had purpose. Youtube becomes your best friend as you dive into the ever-growing abyss that is filled with material for pet owners to learn about training, and cool pet items.
I'll leave you with one last thing to consider: if you are serious about finding an animal to shower with love and affection, make sure that you are ready for the responsibility and hassle that you are getting yourself into. You have the potential to be an awesome owner! Make a pro and con list, because you are taking in a living creature that deserves a home that will love and nurture them.
