Wyatt Smith
Features Editor
Although the College forbids it, many students choose to keep a pet during their time at Wooster. A veritable zoo — complete with lizards, rodents, cats and hedgehogs — could be created from the animals hidden in college housing.
Last year, for example, one senior kept a turtle in her room, another had four rats and a junior looked after a kitten in her on-campus apartment.
College policy, as detailed in the Scot’s Key, prohibits students from keeping any animal — other than fish — in any form of campus housing, due to “heath regulations, noise and sanitation concerns.” Individuals caught breaking this policy must remove the pet within two days to avoid fines and possible eviction.
Assistant Director of Campus Life Rachel Messenger held that the policy is designed to protect common living spaces, emphasizing that it’s not meant to be punitive. She added that the College offers a variety of above board opportunities for students to interact with animals, such as Paws to Pet and the guide dog program house.
Students who disregard this policy say that the joy of pet ownership outweighs any risks. All three interviewed students reported that their pets were fun to have around and popular among their friends.
“[Our cat] loved people and loved attention,” remarked one of the cat’s owners. “It was also a great way to get people to come over.”
Yet adding the responsibility of caring for an animal on top of an already jam-packed schedule could be stressful. The turtle’s tank had to be cleaned weekly and the rats had to be occasionally taken to the vet.
“It really helped that I had a roommate and a house full of people who would be willing to check in on them if I wanted to leave for the weekend,” said the rat owner, “but dealing with them getting sick and remembering to buy them food is not the easiest thing in the world.”
The cat owner reported that it was difficult to concentrate on school work when a rambunctious kitten was climbing over her.
“My roommates would be doing work and she’d be wanting to play,” she said. “I felt bad for her sometimes.”
Student pet owners must also ensure that their animals remain hidden from college authorities. The turtle owner, who lived in a dorm, carefully positioned her reptile’s tank so it wasn’t visible from the hallway.
“I had a few close calls,” she said, “but overall succeeded in having a turtle for over half of my college career without a write-up.”
The rat owner and cat owner, neither of whom lived in residence halls, had an easier time concealing their pets. At first, the kitten in question spent some time with some students in a residence hall and only came into the upperclassman’s care when its first owners were found out by security. The second owner was much more successful at keeping the kitten hidden in her apartment.
“Security did come by one day,” the cat owner confided, “I don’t know if they saw the cat, but they definitely saw all of her stuff out, like her litter, food and her toys …. They looked confused [about whether the pets policy applied to the apartment].”
Other college officials were also ambivalent about the presence of pets on campus. The rat owner regularly spoke of her pets with professors, all of whom she described as “supportive.”
A large question looming over the heads of all student pet owners is what they should do with their animals when the college year is over. Both the rat owner and the turtle owner were able to take their pets with them after graduation. The cat, meanwhile, is currently living a spoiled life on a nearby farm, the home of the former owner’s friend.
Student names were not used in this article to maintain confidentiality. None of the animals mentioned are currently on campus.