Having a dog in college can certainly be a fun experience, but like all pets, they come with their own set of challenges.
Scheduling time to properly care for a pet is important to consider before adopting. But there are certainly some upsides to having a furry friend while in college.
Animal Science junior Reagan Gallagher rescued her dog a year and two months ago in Dallas. Dotti, or Dot-Dot, is a schnauzer who serves as an emotional support dog for Gallagher.
“I was really stressed out,” Gallagher said. “That’s the thing they don’t warn you going into college, that it’s lonely.”
Gallagher said going home to Dotti helped her to feel less lonely after a long day of classes. However, a huge challenge of having a dog is scheduling both work and classes to make sure that pets are not being left home alone for a long period of time. This can affect how a student spends their free time.
“You don’t really get to have that much of a nightlife or party life,” Gallagher said. “I know especially with me, I’m thinking about making sure I get home to her at the end of the night.”
Animal science sophomore Hannah Langford said having a pet influences the way she manages her time.
“It kind of changes the way I go about things,” Langford said. “I have to think about someone else before I just do whatever I want.”
Since Langford was 9 years old, her black and tan dachshund Bella has been a part of her family. When she got an apartment her sophomore year, Langford knew she wanted Bella to join her.
“To know that every day I come home and she’s there, she’s excited to see me, it’s a really positive part of my day,” Langford said. “I think it’s definitely a stress reliever to have her here.”
The Aggieland Humane Society sees many students wanting to adopt. Communication specialist Darby McKenzie said the shelter works with them to make sure each dog will be properly cared for. They discuss scheduling, living arrangements and other things students might not consider when adopting.
“We want to meet that head on before the pet leaves our facilities,” McKenzie said.