If you’ve seen more dogs on leashes on campus or cats in apartment windows around universities, you’re observing a notable trend. Pet adoption by college students and young adults has skyrocketed in the last five years, bringing with it both heartwarming success stories as well as unusual challenges that shelters are still figuring out how to address.
This trend is reflective of changing attitudes toward pet ownership, the therapeutic benefits of animal companionship, and evolving housing policies. However, it also presents special challenges that both students and shelters must carefully consider.
Why Students Are Choosing Pet Companionship
College life can be isolating, especially for students who are away from home for the first time. Pets have been known to be a source of emotional stability and unshakeable camaraderie during times of stress, like finals week or relationship breakups.
“It’s easy to overlook the role of pets when we’re talking about mental health,” said APA President Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A. “But for people who do enjoy the company of animals, they can be a source of companionship, comfort, love, and friendship. I routinely encourage adoption of a pet to my patients who struggle with addiction to alcohol, drugs, or technology. We’re also starting to see more and more research around the role that animals can play in recovery from depression and other psychiatric disorders.”
The benefits to mental health are well established. Research indicates that owning a pet has the effect of lowering cortisol levels, lessening loneliness, and even encouraging one to carry out daily chores. For students struggling with academic pressure and social adjustment, these benefits can be life-changing.
Moreover, the adoption of pets is viewed by some students as a way of taking responsibility and getting ready for life after graduation. Taking care of a pet teaches budgeting, time management, and long-term commitment, life skills that extend far beyond college.
Read More: Adopting Exotic Pets: Legal and Ethical Considerations
Special Challenges Students Face
Despite good intentions, student pet ownership is riddled with complications. Housing represents the greatest stumbling block, as the majority of dorms don’t permit pets and rental housing typically charges exorbitant pet deposits or won’t accept pets at all.
Financial constraints pose another enormous hurdle. Veterinary emergencies can easily total hundreds of dollars, money most students simply do not have on hand. Food, supplies, and routine care also add recurring expenses to already strained budgets.
“We see students surrender animals when they discover they can’t take them home for summer break,” Dr. Rebecca Torres, director of a shelter close to a university, says. “It’s unfortunate because these students really do care about their pets.”
Read More: The Role of Microchipping in Reuniting Lost Pets
Making It Work Long-Term
The key to student pet success is realistic planning and community support. Students must look ahead to their post-graduation plans, being able to sustain pet ownership through job searching, relocation, and lifestyle changes.
Local shelters are stepping up by offering such services as pet care workshops, emergency aid funds, and progressive adoption policies. Some even partner with colleges to provide temporary care during school vacations.
When done responsibly, student pet adoption creates lifelong relationships that endure long after graduation from college. These relationships have a way of becoming a young adult’s defining trait, teaching empathy, accountability, and unconditional love during formative years.
Read More: International Pet Adoptions: Process, Pitfalls, and Rewards
