Since starting college, I've seen countless students and peers with pets — everything from dogs to cats to reptiles to pigs. Some of them have been service or support animals, others were just pets! Luckily, all the ones I've seen have been well-loved and well taken care of. However, there have been some stories I've heard of people — especially college students — getting pets on a whim and not being able to properly take care of them or offer them a stable home. In these cases, the pets are not well-taken care of and are passed from person to person without any stability or given to a shelter.

This is such a sad reality for thousands (if not more) animals and pets and something that has made me hesitate to get a pet myself while I'm in college. As much as I want a dog or cat right now, I know I'm in a fairly unstable situation being in college. I've moved to different apartments and houses every year, I often spend the majority of the day away from my apartment and on campus, and I don't have a lot of spare time to give to a dog or a cat.

And most of my funds are going toward college and books — there's not a lot of extra money to spend on necessary things for pets such as vet bills, food, toys, etc. As much as I know I'd love and care for a pet right now, I also know it wouldn't be fair to them to welcome them into a home that is constantly moving and often empty for hours at a time. When I get a pet, I'd like to be confident that I would have the time and the life stability to give them the best possible life they could have.

I'm not saying that everyone who has a pet in college isn't being responsible or are not providing a great home for their pets — many people are! I'm only saying that it's important to take into consideration all of the responsibilities that come with owning a pet before actually getting a pet. As great as it would be for you to get a dog or a cat, you've got to remember that this will be a huge change for not only you but for the animal you welcome into your life.

You want to give them the best possible life you can, which means taking care of them, giving them a safe and happy home, providing them with the supplies they'll need, and spending time with them.

So, before you get a pet in college (or any time), make sure you're providing them with a good and stable home.