Animals in the House

Students find companionship, stress relief in furry and scaly roommates

As the student bounded down the stairs of her apartment, one thing notably set her apart from the rest of the students — she was carrying an empty plastic bag and being pulled forward by a Yorkshire Terrier on a leash. As she walked around the perimeter of the front of the apartment, she noticed how everyone passing by stopped to smile at or pet the little dog. Although she had two tests and a paper due that day, for that moment, she wasn't thinking about her classes.

College life certainly has its many stressors, such as tests, the anxiety of fitting in socially, and being away from home and family. JMU students typically tackle this stress in different ways, whether through exercising at UREC, playing an instrument or just hanging out with friends. However, quite a few JMU students have found that the key to removing stress from their lives is owning a pet. Pets lower stress levels by providing non-judgmental companionship, according to the American Psychological Association. Studies show that, in some ways, it is better to have a pet around under stressful situations than it is to have a close friend around because, as with any human, no matter how close they are, there always is some existence of evaluation. A pet can be the rare source of unconditional love that is void of any negative judgments. Perhaps this is why there always seems to be a few students playing with their dogs nearly every sunny day on the Quad.

"Having a dog can be one of the most exciting and enjoyable things in the world," said junior Keith Derenouard, the owner of a Ridgeback/German shepherd mix. "[Having a dog] is a lot of responsibility though — kind of like having a kid. You can't go out partying all night because you have to worry about letting him out and feeding him." Although Derenouard said while he could not count on going on any road trips while owning his dog, he does feel that having the dog, whose name is Bailey, has made his life a little brighter. "I know that Bailey will always be here for me and will never look down on me, no matter what I do."

One may wonder how a college student can manage owning a pet with the busy schedule he or she has. According to the JMU Student Handbook, the only acceptable pets in any university building are fish and animals approved by the Office of Disability Services. The ownership of any other type of pet in the dorm environment is not safe on a sanitary level, as it may attract other animals — namely, pests — and can aggravate the many residents that may have animal allergies, according to the handbook. Students living on campus should not lose hope of relieving their stress through pet ownership, however, as studies also have shown even that watching a fish swimming in an aquarium reduces stress levels. The cost of owning a fish is fairly moderate, as one can purchase a fish and the equipment necessary for its care for around $20 to $30.

For those students willing to take on the responsibility of owning an animal other than fish, the commitment appears to be much greater. The first step would be finding a place to live that allows pets. Hunter's Ridge, Forrest Hills, The Commons, South View and Stone Gate all are among the residences that do not allow pets. For those that do, a deposit usually is required.

Ashby Crossing recently started allowing pets in its apartments. There is a $200 deposit required — $100 of which will be returned, as long as nothing is damaged in the apartment — and an additional $15 per month added to the normal rent. There is a restriction that the pet must be under 40 pounds, and that no puppies are allowed. Also, no breeds of dog that are considered dangerous, such as pit bulls, are allowed.

SunChase and Squire Hill also allow pets. In SunChase, a $150 deposit is required, $100 of which will be returned with the apartment if nothing is damaged. There also is an extra $15 a month added to rent. Dogs at SunChase must be at least 1-year-old, and no domineering breeds are accepted, including Rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, chows, American pit bull terriors and boxers. All roommates must sign a paper agreeing to have a pet as well. Squire Hill has no extra pet rent and no restriction on breed, size or age. There is a $200 non-refundable fee, however.

Pheasant Run and Olde Mill Village also have similar standpoints regarding pets. Olde Mill allows small dogs, as long as they are not puppies, and other pets, with an extra $40 pet rent per month. A $150 deposit also is required. Pet ownership at Pheasant Run is allowed, as long as a pet agreement form is signed and a $295 deposit is made for each pet, $45 of which is kept at the end of the lease to pay for flea treatment of the apartment.

Students who own large pets, such as certain breeds of cats and dogs, also may choose to live off campus in houses, although owning a pet usually first must be negotiated with the landlord.

Sometimes a student must be willing to be daring when owning a pet. Senior Dena Kubich owns a red-eared slider turtle named Jag. "The turtle is a lot of work because I have to clean his cage at least once a week, and he needs to be fed three to four times a day," Kubich said. Kubich also noted that the turtle's water needs to be kept at a constant temperature because, if it isn't, the turtle can asperate and go into shock, which happened to her turtle last week. "I was cleaning Jag's tank and I gave him much warmer water than he is used to," Kubich said. "I plugged in his filter and turned around, and he was on his back, not moving on the bottom of the cage." Kubich then quickly took him out and began to blow in his mouth to revive him. After he had been revived and began to cough and spit up water, she called the vet, who told her what had happened. Kubich had to keep Jag in a quiet dark place for it to come out of shock.

There are many costs that come along with the care and ownership of pets. It cost Derenouard $25 to adopt Bailey, and an additional $50 for the necessary shots. The initial veterinary exam could cost from $25 to $50, vaccinations $25 to $50, food $20 to $30 per month, and various other expenses such as a lease, license, cage and toys all can add up to about $200. 

Despite the expenses and relative hassles that come along with owning a pet at college, the students who do say that it has enriched their experiences. It most likely would brighten anyone's day to come home to a loyal friend who always will be waiting.