Students lost without furry friends

Some Dickinson students cannot handle the separation from their family pets and admit to adopting substitute companions against college policy while at school. According to Liz Kirn '07, for anyone who has ever missed a pet from home, seeing an animal around campus or in the Carlisle area can bring great joy to one's day. "I practically jump any animal I see on the street just to give it a gigantic hug," says Kirn. "Without my own animals around I never miss an opportunity to play with someone else's pets."

For Leann Hart '07, campus living can get lonely at times without an animal around. "I miss my dog, Mara, more than my parents," says Hart. "Whenever I call home to talk to my mom, the conversation just isn't complete without a word from my dog."

It's all about companionship and a snuggle buddy for Stephan Pekot '06, who constantly misses his Sunday couch partner. "I miss how my cat lays on my stomach when I am watching TV at home," says Pekot. "I wish that my cat could live with me at school because it would make watching Sunday football every weekend so much more enjoyable."

Playing with animals around the area helps bring a smile to some students and brightens up their day just a little more. "I have two dogs and a cat at home and miss them so much while I am away," says Sarah Hackett '07. "One of my favorite things here is walking back to my on-campus house from dinner some nights and getting to play with professors' and neighbors' dogs that play in the academic quad at night."

While the majority of students at Dickinson shy away from the risk of getting in trouble with the college for keeping a pet illegally, there are some students who find the risk worth it.

"I have had my rabbit for a few weeks now and definitely love having him around," says a sophomore female who asked to remain unnamed. "A friend of mine got the rabbit and had to get rid of it, so I kind of got him by chance. I'm not so sure that I would have bought the rabbit on my own though. I think it is definitely worth it to have a pet on campus, but it can be hard at times to keep it a secret with the routine fire drills and room inspections."

"For me, having a kitten is great," says another student who asked not to be named. "Since all of my roommates have boyfriends, it's nice to have my own companion around and plus my kitten takes up less room in the bed."

"I love being able to keep my hamster on campus, but it can be hard at times to keep her a secret," says a freshman male who asked to be unnamed. "With all the fire drills in my dorm, I am always afraid that I will get caught, but at least I live close enough to school that if an emergency arises I can rush my hamster home."

However, other students like Hart disagree with keeping a pet illegally. "Even though I miss my dog so much, I don't really think the risk of having a pet on campus is worth it," she says. "I plan to wait until senior year to have a pet when I don't have to worry about getting in trouble with the school."

Other students on campus resent the school's policy not to allow pets and admit to feeling lonely without an animal around.

"I've kept lots of animals over my years at Dickinson ," says a senior who wishes to remain unnamed. "It's nice to have an animal around the room when you are feeling lonely or are just having a bad day. I miss my pets so much when I am at school, so I need to fill their shoes somehow. I think it's annoying that the school doesn't allow us to keep pets when most of the students here miss theirs from home so much."

"I feel like the school shows no compassion when it comes to the students," says yet another student who asked not to be named. "I get homesick very easily so keeping my cat on campus with me helps during the rough times."

While there are always going to be students who break the rules, some students feel that waiting until senior year to adopt a new pet is the best because students are finally able to live off-campus without the fear of getting in trouble.

For Chelsea Mitchell '06, finally living off-campus was her incentive to adopt a pet. "I love having my new puppy and it is definitely worth it to wait until senior year. With my own house and lighter load of classes this year, I feel that it is easier for me to take care of my dog. While I miss my animals at home, waiting three years to have my own puppy is a great reward."

With all the debate among students over keeping pets on campus, school policy makes it clear that pets are not permitted at Dickinson."Pets other than fish are not allowed in campus housing largely due to health hazards and damage to grounds," says Senior Associate Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life Michael Malone. "Also, people with allergies who move into rooms where pets have been living can suffer serious health risks."

According to Malone, if a Residential Life staff member or Dickinson Public Safety officer catches a student with an illegal pet on campus, the student receives a standard disciplinary write-up, a warning and time period to get rid of the animal. The last resort, if the student does not cooperate, is to give the pet to a local animal shelter.

Residential Life staff and DPS address illegal pet situations as they come to their attention, just as they would any other policy infractions.

"We get around eight to ten pet violation cases a year and usually come across them on accident," says Malone. "Many times we will walk into a room, only to have a cat greet us at the door. While non-aquatic pets are not allowed, we do, however, have provisions for service animals because we recognize that it is for a different need."

When it comes to addressing each individual student's needs, some Residential Life officials and DPS often find it hard to take students' beloved animals away. "I do not have a pet, and since I live in college-owned housing would need special permission if I were to go that route," says Malone. "But I have had a dog and a 50 gallon fish tank in the past so I do have empathy for the pet owners as well as for the pets."

Reference: http://cfserv.dickinson.edu

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