Owning a dog in college is not an easy task. If you don't have an in on a free dog, you'll most likely need to adopt from a shelter or buy one from a pet store. The fees will be high, and you'll need to invest money in the dogs health right away. Vet visits, food, a dog license, and other necessities will pile up on you right away. However, it isn't all doom and gloom. If you play your cards right and keep a tight budget, you'll be the proud owner of a mobile stress-reliever and companion for life.
The first thing you'll need to do when looking to own a dog is making sure you have the necessary funds to adopt the dog, pay for its first essentials, and take care of the vet visit and dog license. Depending on the adoption fee, this usually runs between $400 and $600. That may seem like a daunting figure at first, but it's really just a one-time payment. You'll have to budget for your dogs expenses monthly but this should only be $75 and $100 a month.
After making sure you have your funds in order, you'll need to make sure wherever you live allows dogs. My apartment complex allows them, but doesn't allow certain breeds, such as pit bulls, german shepherds, and chow chow's. Their stereotypes tend to precede them. Most college campuses won't allow pets in their dorms, but off-campus student housing will. There will most likely be a pet fee involved, as well as a fee added onto your rent. It's $300 and a $25 monthly fee at my apartments, so expect something in that arena.
Now you can look for your dog. Your best bet to find an adorable addition to your life is one of the many shelters located around Charlotte. I adopted my dog from the Humane Society, located at 2700 Toomey Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina 28203, and believe it's the best shelter to adopt from. Fees for puppies are $300 and older dogs go from $15 to $125. The best thing about the Humane Society is the fact that they include spay/neuter, heart worm treatment, and many other incentives in the fee. Other shelters and foster agencies include the SPCA, Precious Paws, Charlotte Mecklenberg Animal Care, and the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue.
Once you've adopted your dog, your next steps are to get its essentials and schedule a vet visit. Make sure your dog is settled and happy in their new home before taking it everywhere you go. Give a routine and stick to it. On day one, give it a bath and brush it to clean off any grime from the shelter or foster home. Introduce it to the home and start training right away. If you take care of your dog and always love it, you will have a best friend who's always there for you for years to come.
