Lakeland Mirror

Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: Opinions

Media Credit: Martha Schott Alum John Sieglaff plays with a puppy while taking a break from work. Does this play alleviate stress?

With all the stresses college students face, some need a way to cope with it all, and students who are accustomed to living with pets at home wish that pets were allowed on campus. According to Director of Counseling Services Cary Knier, "Being around pets can help reduce stress and lower blood pressure and alleviate feelings of loneliness."

While pets can alleviate stress, Knier also brings up the point that pets can be the cause of stress. "If one has a pet at a busy time in his or her life, it can actually add to the stress because of the additional responsibilities." Although, if students are able to take on the responsibility of caring for a pet, they will feel very accomplished and one may feel more motivated when having to care for someone besides him or herself.

Caring for a pet teaches a person to be responsible for another life, and the person thus learns how to cope with stress because along with schoolwork and life's everyday tasks, he or she has to remember to take care of his or her pet. This can positively influence the individual and help him or her become a more balanced and responsible person, and responsibility is an important life lesson that everyone must learn. I think that designating specific rooms for students with pets would be beneficial.

Though it is still rare to allow pets on campus, a few schools have changed their policies in order to become more "pet friendly." Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla. allows cats and dogs weighing less than 40 pounds in designated rooms, and there are rules set in place to make sure the animal's vaccinations are up to date (petside.com).

Knier suggests that before a student decides to have a pet, he or she should ask him or herself several questions: "'Do I have enough space for the animal to play and exercise? Do I have enough money to pay for food, grooming, routine and unexpected medical bills? Do I have enough time to play with the pet and/or take it for walks? What will I do with the pet during breaks/vacations? What will I do with the pet when I graduate? What will my roommate think about a pet?'"

Though Knier said that she is "not convinced that college is the best time to own a pet," I think that rooms should be made available for students who would like to have pets, so that they are given a chance to prove that they are responsible. Students would have to apply for a room and rules could be implemented like those of Eckerd and other schools that allow pets. Some students may benefit if they are allowed to have pets on campus, and they will better learn the importance of responsibility.

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