As a devoted pet owner my only dread about going to college was leaving my precious cat, Leroy, behind. We adopted Leroy my sophomore year in high school, after my sister found him running around outside. From day one he was my baby, he would follow me around and any time I sat down Leroy would be on my lap. Two years later not much has changed, except that I miss him terribly almost all the time. I miss his comforting presence, especially now that I’ve entered college: a stressful and emotional time in my life. As much as I love my school and the friends I have made there, they don’t really compare to the calming, non-judgmental presence of my furry companion.
There have been many studies about the benefits of college students having pets in their dorms done by psychological associations and, of course, colleges. A study done by the American Psychological Association concluded that pets provide important emotional and social support and helped in handling rejection. Their lead researcher, Allen R. McConnell stated that “pet owners had greater self-esteem, were more physically fit, tended to be less lonely, were more conscientious, were more extraverted, tended to be less fearful and tended to be less preoccupied than non pet owners.” So why is this important? Well, most college students need a safe outlet for stress that doesn’t involve drinking and partying on the weekends. Pets help students stave off the freshmen 15, keeping them healthier and fit. As a current college freshman, I know how hard it is to make new friends on campus. It seems like an endless stream of strangers, which is very intimidating. Starting conversations with complete strangers is hard and awkward so pets provide an easy conversation starter to help bring people together. I conducted a survey of my own and the overwhelming consensus was that having pets would allow students feel more comfortable on their college campus.
Many college campuses don’t have pet friendly housing due to students’ potential allergies. While this makes sense, there is a simple solution; students with pet allergies should live in normal housing or specify with their roommate what pets they are allergic to. Colleges like Stephens College, in Columbia, Missouri, allows pets to have cats and dogs in dorms with the exception of certain breeds. They also offer doggie daycare and a foster system through a local shelter. Their pet friendly dorm requires students to apply. The dean of admissions and financial aid at Florida’s Eckerd College, John Sullivan, stated that pets add friendliness to the campus. Many students at Shenandoah University believe that having a pet in the dorm would increase their campus life significantly.
Considering the many benefits, and obvious student support, we can only wonder why so few colleges have embraced pet friendly housing.
