Can you juggle looking after a pet and keeping up your studies?

Going to university is a big step in anyone’s life and if you’re headed that way or already there you’ll find it’s a big change from the home life you have been used to. That’s especially the case if you decide you want to bring your pet with you, and when it comes to your dog or cat there are a number of important issues to weigh up.

Accommodation

If you are staying in your university’s halls of residence, whether on or off campus, you will find that pets are not permitted on their rental premises. They can also be quite sniffy about having dogs on campus, but if you are going to be living in college premises and you have a dog to support your living, a guide dog or hearing dog, then it’s likely that will not be a problem. Always check with the staff who deal with accommodation.

Remember too that private landlords often don’t like pets in their premises, so don’t make any assumptions. If you’re sharing a house, check that your housemates are happy to have a dog or cat in the place – some people do have allergies to animal fur so be understanding if that’s an issue that comes up.

If you are permitted to have a dog, ensure that the garden or other outside area is dog proof and make sure your pet is microchipped, not to your university address but to your home, as you’re likely to move at least once when you’re at university.

Studying while caring for your pet

There’s no doubt that if you’re serious about your university course you will want, and need, to study hard. What with lectures, seminars, tutorials and essays it can heap a lot of work onto you and take a lot of time. You need to eat, sleep, travel and socialise as well, so how do you fit your pet into this busy lifestyle?

Plan all your necessary activities around ensuring that your dog or cat is cared for and not neglected. When you have your head down before exams there’s nothing quite like the quiet and loving companionship of your canine or feline friend to help you through those difficult times. Your pet’s unquestioning devotion means that you have to organise and set aside the time to look after it properly.

This means plenty of exercise with walks in the park for a dog, and you’ll also benefit from the exercise!

Look after your pet’s health. Make sure water is always available and that you provide nutritious meals. Always flea treat the dog or cat – fleas can not only give pets health problems but are also highly unpleasant for humans. You would not be popular in your house if everyone were being bitten, so take action to prevent the problem.

The right environment

A pet could take more time than you think to look after, so be sure that is what you want to do. If you do want to keep your pet at university, and are permitted to, you will find that it’s not just you who will benefit, but your housemates and friends as they develop their relationship with your pet.

Tags: student pets

Category: Student News