I love dogs. There’s something special about coming home to a greeting from a faithful four-legged companion after a long day. But college is no place for furry friends.
With the rising cost of education, students don’t often have the money for extra expenses. Yet the average dog owner spends anywhere from $580 to $875 per year on their pet. People who own a cat spend about $670.
Besides the issue of cost, busy college students lack the extra time a pet needs from them. Classes occupy most of our days — tack on a part-time job and friends, and you have a full schedule.
Young dogs should get at least one hour of exercise every day. Few of us have the luxury to set this time aside each day, which is incredibly unfair to our lovable companions.
Though I always had at least one animal in the house when I was growing up, I would never bring my pet to school. I feel as though college students, myself included, don’t have the responsibility it takes to care for another living thing.
Moreover, I’ve seen the negative health consequences animals face when they don’t receive proper care. People should realize that pets don’t exist simply for the sake of their owners’ personal gain.
While many of us feel it would be fun to have a pet, it’s important to realize that it isn’t fair to care for an animal if you lack the time and resources to devote to its well-being. To put it simply, we should just wait to purchase pets until we’re out of school.
Maddie Eaton welcomes comments at [email protected].
