Chloe Williams, Staff Reporter | October 28, 2021

Jade Hurst, a second-year art student, and her now six-month-old kitten Clover spend some time cuddling at home. Hurst adopted her pet through a local shelter called Saint SPCA.

Considering the workload of college life, keeping pets may be a major decision for students.

Keeping pets during college can be enjoyable, but people must remember that pets can be a major responsibility in their daily lives. If you are considering keeping a pet, there are many ideas to keep in mind when preparing to keep a pet. 

Jade Hurst, a second-year art student, shared how she prepared to adopt Clover, her four-month-old kitten. 

"I prepared money for my pet cat for up to three months before I got her. I also researched the best food and toys for her," Hirst said. 

Hurst finds that she is ready to own a pet because she feels that her financial situation is stable enough and she is aware of the responsibilities of owning a small animal. As a college student, Hirst said that she must set aside time to accompany the cat or multitask when she is studying or doing homework. 

Hurst lives off campus, so she has more choices to choose the type of pet she wants. However, college students living on campus may be more restricted.  

When it comes to the types of animals you can have in the dormitory, the rules may be stricter. In Southeast University, most on-campus dormitories allow students to own pet fish. Rayna Myers, a freshman major in chemistry, decided to raise a pet fish she named a dog shortly after the semester started and moved into the dormitory. 

"I want a fish to have something that I am completely responsible for, separate from my parents. To get my fish, I work almost every day, so I have a little extra money," Miles is discussing her as a fish Explained while preparing. 

Both Hirst and Myers had similar thoughts after raising pets, that is, realizing how much time it takes to clean their pets. 

For example, cat litter boxes must be cleaned every day, and their fur and claws must be maintained to prevent the former from being too dirty and the latter from being too sharp. 

Although the maintenance cost of fish may be lower than that of cats, they still need to be cleaned and raised according to a certain schedule. Miles did this to keep her university and pets organized. 

Madison McHugh, who recently graduated from Southeast University's 2021 spring class, reviewed her time as a pet owner and college student.

"If you carefully raise a low-maintenance pet like a cat, snake, or fish, it will be easy to handle animal care and go to college at the same time. My roommate and I also share the responsibility of caring for the pet. People who are weird or constantly changing lighten up a lot of burdens," McHugh said. 

McHugh and her roommate are considering raising a well-trained old dog, which does not require much attention compared to a puppy or kitten.  

In general, when keeping pets during college students, you should keep in mind what is best for their situation. If they have to go to class or work more often than when they are at home, then pets may not be the best choice, or they should choose an animal that does not require a lot of attention or maintenance, such as fish. 

Hirst said: "I suggest that if college students are aware of the responsibility of keeping pets, and the economy is stable, then keeping pets is good."

If you are looking for a fish like Miles, she got her fish from PetSmart. If you want a furry friend to adopt, Hirst and McHugh both adopted their animals from the shelter. 

Hurst's kitten Clover passes through a local cat shelter called Saint SPCA, which rescues cats and kittens and finds a good home. You can also find Saint SPCA cats to adopt through local stores such as Petco.

The application and website PetFinder is another way to find new pets nearby.    

If you want to adopt from Saint SPCA, please click here. Click here to view PetFinder.

Chloe Williams majored in English, majored in creative writing, and minored in communication and drama. She hopes to be a newspaper...

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