By Cameron Quinby
Editorial Editor
I want to start this piece by stating that what follows is just my opinion, and I have not done any significant research into the pros and cons of said opinion. (With an intro like that you’d think I was writing about something really controversial, but really I just miss my dog.)
College, as we all know by now, can be stressful. Complicated coursework aside, many freshman and transfer students are adjusting to a foreign way of life. We’ve moved away from home and left our friends and family. Many of us have left something else behind as well: our pets.
Our soft Mr. Whiskers’ and our faithful Fido’s. Our ever-accepting and always loving furry, scaly, or feathered companions. And it’s hard to leave to pets. Sometimes I think it’s harder than saying goodbye to human family, because you can call and text them.
So, we’re stressed beyond what we thought was humanly possible and we miss our pets. Possible solution? Service animals on campus. I know that a stranger-animal is no replacement for your pet, who is the Best in The World. But I still think emotional support animals on campus is a reasonable, if not good, idea.
Now, as I mentioned, I didn’t do an abundance of research on this idea. I don’t know the cost or all the liabilities that keeping service animals on campus would cause. I just know that when I have a hard test coming up, it’d be nice to just hang out with a dog to relieve some stress.
I also don’t really know how the whole thing would work. Service animal stations across campus? Check out a dog or cat for an hour or two? Who knows?
I’m sure I’m not alone in missing an animal who had to stay home, and I’d like to hear some other thoughts on the matter. If you think service animals on campus is good idea and have some research that proves it, let me know. If you think having service animals is a bad idea, let me know why. If you have an opinion that has nothing to do with anything written above, send it in!