OPINION: Why college students should own pets
An App State campus celebrity celebrated their birthday Tuesday – Teddy the golden retriever. Teddy patiently posed in front of his birthday banner while waiting for his dog safe birthday cake.
April 12, 2022
Have you ever seen a big, fluffy golden retriever bounding through Sanford Mall, chasing a stick in the sun? Or perhaps seen one of the many student-owned cats napping on a picnic blanket? It’s likely you’ll meet a furry friend or two on your way to class if you haven’t already, especially with the warm weather approaching. Believe it or not, pets are more than just fluffy companions, especially to college students. They promote positive mental health, physical health and the overall benefits are through the roof. From chemical changes in your brain to healthy lifestyle changes and responsibility, the pros outweigh the cons by a landslide.
Pets can promote exercise and physical activity. If you own a dog, it’ll need to go outside at least once a day for a walk. Life can get busy, and students sometimes don’t have time to exercise on their own. With a dog, exercise becomes part of routine. Additionally, pets provide great companionship. Whether you have a puppy, a sleepy, lounging cat or even a fish, pets are amazing friends. Even better, if you’re looking for new human friends, just bring your pet out onto Sanford or on a walk through campus. The odds are high you’ll meet at least one person who wants to say hi, and the conversation can go from there.
On top of healthy lifestyle changes, pets can actually create chemical changes in your brain. Spending time with your pet can increase serotonin and dopamine levels, and pet owners also have lower cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure. Multiple studies show that owning a pet can also lead to lower cortisol levels in your body. Cortisol relates directly to stress. Think of it as your body’s built-in alarm system. Less cortisol means less stress.
The best benefit to owning a pet is the responsibility skills they encourage. Most pets need to be fed at a certain time every day, and this will add consistency to your routine. Structure and a daily routine is beneficial because it helps to combat burnout and relieve anxiety, both two increasingly significant problems for college students.
There are some, although few, downsides to owning a pet. They can be expensive. Purchasing food, cleaning supplies, beds, toys, vet bills and more can rack up the bills quickly, and college students are infamous for being broke. On top of that, pets aren’t exactly easy animals. They require much care, effort and devotion. If you’re a student who pays a nightly visit to Ransom or goes back home to Charlotte for the weekend, having a pet is not ideal unless you’ve secured a pet-sitter. Additionally, most pets are not allowed in dorms. Osteichthyes, a certain type of fish, are the only exception.
As mental health problems become more common among college students, ways to combat them are needed more than ever. Pets are a great way to boost mental, physical and emotional health. Consider the debate settled, App State students and pets are a perfect combination.
Sky • Apr 13, 2022 at 8:47 pm
As the proud owner of the aforementioned king that is Teddy, I can definitely say owning a dog in college was both challenging and extremely rewarding. Phenomenal way to make friends! But it’s also tough to balance a pet with college classes. Still, he made my undergraduate experience all the more fun.
Ashlea • Apr 13, 2022 at 3:20 pm
Having a pet is a very serious, long-term commitment. Basically, having a pet is sort of like having a 5 year-old child. Before you get a pet, ask yourself: do you want to have that level of responsibility every day, 7 days a week, for the next 12 or more years of your life? Having a pet means you can’t really be gone for longer than 8 hours at a time from home, you can’t take spontaneous overnight trips—you just don’t have that freedom. You also can’t stick pets in a crate or leave them tied-up outside for hours and think that’s ok. Pets need consistent care every day, 365 days a year—during the week, during the weekends, during breaks, during vacations. What if you need to move in the next year or two? Will the apartment/condo/home allow pets? Can you be sure that you’ll want your pet 2, 5, 8 years from now? Is the home you have now suitable/safe for a pet? Do you have time EVERY day to walk, feed, train, play and take care of another living being that needs food, clean water, regular medical attention and grooming? Are you aware of how much basic pet care/food costs? (My dog’s ear infection medicine plus his annual check up with vaccinations at the vet last month was $511!!) Pets also have monthly medicines such as heartworm and flea/tick medications they need. Your pet is a being that is completely dependent on you and only you to take care of it, every day, for many, many years. Pets that don’t get the care they need often resort to destructive behaviors such as tearing up furniture or messing outside the litter box. This is sadly how so many animals end up in animal shelters. Have you been to an animal shelter lately? You’ll find cages and cages in room upon room filled with pets in great despair who have been abandoned by their owners–many because their owners decided they weren’t up to the daily work that’s needed to care for them. So, please, before getting a pet, please, please, please think about what’s really involved DAY AFTER DAY for the next decade or more of your life.
Ashlea • Apr 13, 2022 at 9:00 am
Having a pet is a SERIOUS, LONG-TERM COMMITMENT. Pets require a lot of care, money, attention, and a daily routine. Basically, ask yourself, do you want to have a toddler for the next 12 or more years? What will happen if you move next year or two years from now, and the apartment/condo/house you’re moving to doesn’t allow pets? Do you dump the pet then? Also, do you know how much their annual shots cost? How about the cost of monthly food or grooming? Is your home environment safe for pets? These are sweet beings that are totally reliant on you and you alone for the health and well-being. Pets mean you can’t be gone for more than 8 hours a day, you can’t have a spontaneous overnight trip. They need you to come home and walk them, feed them, show them attention EVERY DAY 365 DAYS OF THE YEAR—during the week, during weekends, during breaks, during vacations—otherwise, many pets will show destructive behaviors such as tearing up furniture or making messes outside their litter boxes. This is how A LOT OF PETS END UP IN ANIMAL SHELTERS. They start exhibiting “bad behaviors” mainly due to their owners not taking regular time to walk, train, love, and care for them. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, THINK VERY SERIOUSLY BEFORE MAKING SUCH A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT.