Photo Courtesy of Kenyon Later.
Everyone knows our beloved Pace University is home to thousands of students and faculty. But did you know that Pace also houses a handful of pets? Dorm dogs and campus cats have become a regular occurrence at Pace, but what is it like owning a pet in college? How do students and faculty balance college and pet-parenting? By talking to fellow pet parents, I was able to find the answers.
Alumni Hall is currently home to multiple dogs and cats. As a campus pet owner, I have learned that pet parenting is not always easy. My two-year-old corgi and I live on the second floor of Alumni Hall. Owning my dog, Bruno often requires early mornings and late nights. The small room size makes it difficult for my campus corgi to move around, thus requiring numerous walks a day. I have found myself leaving social events to take care of my dog.
Although owning a dog on campus has its difficulties, Bruno makes the campus more enjoyable. Being a certified therapy dog, he is trained to ease the nerves of anyone around him. He often stops to say hi to 20-30 people a day, putting a smile on many faces.
Fellow Alumni Hall resident Chloe Stanberry-Rosseter claims that having a therapy dog on campus gives her something to look forward to. Stanberry-Rosseter states “Whenever I’m stressed or overwhelmed, I always know I have little Bruno to pet and snuggle with.” For a lot of students, college life can be stressful. However, having a therapy dog on campus can be a calming experience for many.
Along with Bruno on campus, Elm Hall is home to a loving campus cat. Ken is the adorable feline companion of Professor Kate Fink. Ken is often seen lounging on his cat tree watching people pass by his room. When asked about how she balances work with owning a pet, Professor Fink claims that cats are generally low maintenance. She also states that caring for Ken is a “team effort” so the cat care is split between the family. Ken often entertains himself by “putting on a little show” for students who walk by.
Although Ken is cute, he is also “is somewhat of an escape artist” and has already “snuck out twice without me noticing”, says Fink. Astoundingly, Ken has also figured out how to open doors, creating a problem for Fink and her family. She says that Ken “can jump up and pound the door handles like he’s spiking a volleyball”. Although Ken can be mischievous, he is a great cat and a loved member of the Fink family. Students can see what Ken is up to by following his Instagram @thatcatinelm.
Although owning a pet on campus has its difficulties it provides an immense amount of joy. Pets have a way of making every house a home no matter how small. One thing is for certain, Pace wouldn’t be the same without its campus pets.
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