Residence Life & Dining Services implemented a new regulation allowing tenants of Landmark Village to have pets in their apartments is in effect.
“I’m very happy with the new regulations,” tenant of Orr Hall, Anna Klimova, said. “I was dreaming of having a pet with me here in the dorm room for the last year. I am planning on moving to the Landmark Village and adopting a cat from the shelter.”
New policies allow the tenants to have a maximum of one pet per leaseholder. The pet can be either one dog under 40 pounds, one cat, or one small caged pet, such as a rabbit, guinea pig, hedgehog, hamster, gerbil, ferret, mice, or rat. According to the policies, “Overnight pet ‘guests’ and pet-sitting are not permitted.”
“I heard that pets provide an emotional support and increase the mental activity of their owners,” Klimova said. “Back home I have a cat and I feel much better with her. Here in the dorms, I feel too lonely sometimes.”
According to the policy, “When dogs are left unattended in the Resident’s apartment, they are required to be stored in a crate, carrier, or kennel. Small caged pets must be secured in their cage when left unattended.”
Moreover, the policy requires dogs to be housebroken and cats to use the litter box and pet waste should be cleaned immediately. The owners are fully responsible for any damages, mess, or other disturbance, created by their pets.
“I am afraid that the pets would create a huge mess in the apartments,” graduate UW student, Ryan Collins, said. “Even the most well-behaved pets do shit and they all smell, even if you wash them every single day. It would be a great disturbance for me to live with a pet in the same apartment.”
Landmark Village resident Juan Vintimilla, said, “Sometimes I walk in the common area and I can see the dogs feces in the grass. I find it disgusting.”
In addition, the regulations state that residents must control their pet’s behavior and noise level, preventing “frequent howling, yelping, barking, or other disturbances to neighbors. Pets must not disrupt the community.”
“I have a crazy busy schedule, and I come back home late at night,” Collins said. “I don’t want to listen to barking, or howling neither in my apartment nor from the neighboring ones.”
Being mindful and respectful of people who have pet allergies is another issue that comes with having pets.
“I have an allergy; therefore, I don’t like pets in the facilities,” said Vintimilla. “I have a friend who has a dog in his apartment. Unfortunately, I cannot visit him and he cannot visit me, because of my allergy. I could easily die of choking.”
There are pet-friendly housing facilities on campus that also allow pets in the rooms: White Hall 103; Downey Hall 103; McIntyre Hall 103; Orr Hall 103; River Village 702; Landmark 373-468.
The Pets Welcome Policy & Agreement could be found at the website of ResLife – http://www.uwyo.edu/reslife-dining/apartments/landmarkvillage.html.
