Learning how to cohabit is an important feature of college life. For some, that means living with a roommate with weird music tastes or a confusing laundry routine. For others, it means living with the fish. This week, record interviewed five students who live with animals on campus (two co-owners of dogs, two co-owners of cats, and one owner of fish) to learn more about the joy their furry and scaly friends bring them. I learned about
In order to live on campus, each pet, except for the fish, had to go through an approval process to become an emotional support animal (ESA). As part of this process, owners write a personal statement explaining the medical necessity of bringing their pet to the university, answer a list of questions, receive a letter from their health care provider certifying their health status, and ensure that their pet is suitable for the university. I needed to make sure that I was receiving appropriate treatment. Take all necessary shots and complete an interview with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). Only then could creatures with their four legs or two fins be able to settle in the university.
Outside of the ESA approval process, students can also work with OAE to register “service animals” (dogs that are individually trained to perform tasks or tasks for students with disabilities).
Pickles, an orange tabby cat and resident of Sage 4, spends his days people-watching atop the cat tower and watching students coming in and out of Paleski. Clara Petit '27 and her family adopted Pickle in the parking lot of Western Sizzlin' Steakhouse in West Virginia and lovingly named him after her love of preserved foods. I gave it a name. The tabby cat stayed with her all the time as she adjusted to university life.
“Pickles and other ESAs emotionally regulate their owners,” Petite said. record In an interview. “It gives you a purpose to fall back on when you're feeling stressed…you have another thing to fall back on for emotional connection and daily life.”
When Petit is busy finishing his problem books, Pickles enjoys playing with motion-sensing toys and running through cat tunnels. She even has a mechanized system for taking care of him. His bowl automatically feeds at 7am and 7pm every day, and his litter box is automatically cleaned once a week.
Pickles also helped Petit find community on campus. “I'm well known as the 'cat person,'” she said. “I love being able to have people in my room and get to know Pickles. It's really great to be able to connect with him and meet new people.”
Petitt also connected with other ESA owners. She belongs to her GroupMe of students with her ESA, where she exchanges photos of animals and offers advice about the best local veterinarians.
Rocky, a 6-month-old Goldendoodle, has become a celebrity on campus in recent months, appearing at Williams Octet rehearsals, Sage 2 entrance snacks and Goodrich Coffee Bar mornings. Rocky's owners, Mei Chen, 25, and Ford Coles, 25, met Rocky on Valentine's Day last year when they went on a date to a local family-run breeder and played with the puppy. From the beginning, they knew they had to take him to college and adopted him soon after. “He had such kind eyes and we loved them.” [him] Immediately,” Chen wrote. record. “We put down the deposit the same day, started the ESA process, and brought Rocky home shortly after.”
For Chen, having Rocky not only brought joy to his college life, but also a way to bring structure to his daily schedule. “I wanted the responsibility of taking care of Rocky and that's exactly what happened,” she wrote. “I also love dogs. It's weird being at university without a dog at home, so I wanted a piece of that at Williams as well.”
Like all dogs, Rocky requires a fair amount of maintenance, including frequent walks, plenty of outdoor play, regular meals, potty training, and physical training to learn new tricks, Kolles said. That's what it means. “He is very sweet and we have a lot of dog lovers living near us, so it was easy to socialize him,” he wrote in a letter. record. “Most of it's fun, but it's definitely tough.”
Chen said it was difficult at first to balance school work, seeing friends and owning a dog, but it got easier with time and help from friends. “I can't be away for long periods of time because I need to get him out. But all my friends and Ford friends have been so supportive and helpful,” she wrote. “We definitely have a good group of people who are willing to play with him and take care of him when we're not there,” Coles added.
Despite these challenges, Chen and Coles emphasized that the joy Rocky brought to their lives made it all worth it. “I think Rocky's presence enriched my experience.” [at Williams] It’s getting warmer,” Chen wrote. “I feel like I have a little home here. My experience is not just academic.”
Unlike Rocky, Doritos Locos Taco (Dorito for short) and Joji don't need to be walked or played catch every few hours by their owner Eva Assmann '24. Dorito and Joji are goldfish who have been living with Earthman at university since 2022.
For Earthman, who doesn't often visit his hometown of Nome, Alaska, during the school year, having fish on campus made him feel more at home. “I grew up with a lot of pets, and they always brought me so much joy, so I wanted someone to be with me in college,” she wrote in an email to her university. record. “They also helped me feel at home while staying in the dorms.”
Professor Assmann explained that goldfish do not require the same level of attention as dogs or cats, but also noted that there are some challenges to keeping fish on campus. “You need to change the water every two weeks.” [for their tank]”Depending on the dorm you live in, this could be a hassle,” she wrote. “However, the house I live in now has an administrative sink; This makes it much easier to dump and refill water. ”
Earthman said the biggest challenge she faces is finding a fish sitter when she leaves campus. “I once had to move my tank to another dorm during recess when a friend happened to be out of town at the same time as me,” she wrote.
However, none of these challenges outweigh the comfort that Dorito and Joji brought to the lives of Earthlings. “I spend at least a few minutes every day just watching them swim around,” she wrote. “They may not be as cute as dogs or cats, but they have very unique personalities and they kept me company when I was spending time alone in my dorm room.”
Kaleisha Towle '24.5 said her cat Sylvia, who turned 1 this year, has become an important support system for her. Towle decided to adopt Sylvia as an ESA after she received a medical diagnosis last summer. “As I struggled to accept my diagnosis, I began to remember that when I was depressed as a child, my dog made me feel so much better,” she said. Told. “We wanted to see if that could happen again, which is why we acquired Sylvia.”
Towle said she has had to adjust many aspects of student life, including her sleep schedule, since welcoming Sylvia. “Cats are semi-nocturnal, so I wake up with them at 4:30 a.m. every morning,” she said. “This definitely makes it difficult to stay up late and work.”
Having a cat in a small living space was also difficult at times for Towle. “You have to make a special effort to make sure.” [Sylvia] I can’t walk around the house, so I exercise,” she said. “We end up playing a lot of games together.”
Tolle says the emotional support Sylvia gives her every day is invaluable. “She always makes me so happy when I come home. She always cheers me up when I'm down,” she said.
Towle encourages anyone who can imagine growing up with a pet to do just that. “It's not for everyone, but if you think you can benefit from your pet and they can benefit from you, I definitely recommend it,” she says. I did.
Earthman echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of students considering their own limitations before keeping pets on campus. “It depends on what type of person you are and the personal level of comfort you get from being with your pet,” she writes. “But in my experience, the joys of owning a pet outweigh the hassles.”
