The University of Wyoming has a long and storied history of allowing students to bring their pets to campus with them. According to legend, Prexy’s Pasture was originally a feeding ground for the horses of students. While the function of Prexy’s has changed a bit, it’s still not unusual to see people walking their dogs around campus, especially on the rare warm days.
These dogs are always a hit whenever they show up. I doubt anyone can walk their dog on campus during class times without being stopped by armies of lonely college students asking to pet them. I’m sure that, after the fourth person asks what their name is, it gets pretty tiring.
Of course, all these dogs have inspired students, both on and off-campus, to get pets of their own. Some students turn out to be caring and thoughtful owners, giving their pet all the attention it deserves and finding a good home for them when they leave in the summer.
Others don’t. This summer, college students will abandon thousands of pets across the country, according to data from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Shelters in Laramie have already made preparations for the influx of abandoned pets that the end of the semester will bring. Though many students take their pets home, or find other arrangements, the shelters in Laramie know firsthand that there are those out there who aren’t so kind to their pets.
“This time of year, we get a ton of pets that just get dropped off to us because someone’s leaving, or even worse, we just find pets wandering around Laramie who got left,” said Mark Davidson, a student who volunteers at the Laramie Animal Welfare Society. “It’s so sad to see them because they’re always wondering when their owner’s coming back.”
Abandonment isn’t the only way an unprepared college student can harm their pet. As any father on an ‘80s sitcom will tell you, pets require a fair amount of commitment. Every animal needs food, water, and someone to clean up their messes; taking on that sort of responsibility is big, both in time and in money.
Considering many students live paycheck to paycheck or have a limited income, a pet is a financial burden that they would do well to avoid: ASPCA estimates the first-year cost of owning a dog is $1,270 and the cost of a cat over a similar time is $1,070. Pets that live in households that can’t afford them tend to miss out on necessary shots, don’t get taken to a veterinarian when they are sick and don’t get as much enrichment in the way of toys and treats.
Students do not really have time to give a pet the care they deserve, either. Most pets, especially dogs, love attention, but the student lifestyle means that they often get left home alone for huge chunks of the day. Dr. Eric Barchas, the resident vet for Dogster Magazine, recommends that dog owners should spend up to two hours each day caring for their pet in some way.
Even lower-maintenance animals need some sort of care and attention. When I lived in the dorms, my roommate had a goldfish. He refused to clean the tank even when it got green, and pretty soon the whole floor smelt like a dirty fish tank. This person couldn’t take 15 minutes a week out of his busy life to clean a fish tank. I hate to think about what would have happened if he had a higher-needs animal.
If students can’t really take care of fish, the least needy animal on the planet, it’s clear that they shouldn’t try to take care of other pets while in college.
