Students moving into the residence halls seem to bring with them everything but the kitchen sink. Belongings from home are packed into suitcases and boxes to remind students of their homes and families while they are away at school. While many of these items can be packed away into the dorm rooms, one aspect of home life can’t join us at Quinnipiac: our pets.
That’s right. As much as we may want Fido or Fluffy running wild in our dorm room, school policy forbids them to live here. Quinnipiac’s Student Handbook states that: “Fish are the only permitted pets in the residence halls and must be contained in a tank no larger than 10 gallons.”
Unlike in past years, when other small pets were permitted in the residence halls, currently this list of approved pes includes only our fresh-water friends.
Often, students mention how much they miss their cat, dog, or other pet from home. But given the opportunity, would they like to have a pet here? Do students find this policy unfair?
“I think that for students who are responsible it’s unfair, but overall it’s better for the students,” sophomore Darrah Black, a criminal justice major, said. “We’re supposed to be old enough to be living on our own so we should be trusted to take care of a pet, but it’s the irresponsible people that ruin it for everyone else.”
Black does, however, see the reasons for enforcing this policy. “Having pets here might put the animal in danger. Students could get drunk and hurt the animal,” she said.
Other students agree. “For the safety of the animals, I agree that we shouldn’t be allowed to have pets,” freshman Stanley Lukaszewicz, a political science major, said. “Most people aren’t responsible enough to care for an animal.”
There are other concerns facing pets in dorm rooms as well. “I think that because of all the allergies today, it is just respectful to not have pets,” sophomore Heather Telesca, an English major, said.
Junior mass communications major Sebastian Panioto agrees. “I think it’s a reasonable [policy] because a lot of students are allergic to pets and if pets were allowed, it would only cause more problems between students living in the dorms.”
Some students feel pet care is too big of a responsibility. “It would be really cool,” Telesca said. “But imagine the maintenance. We have enough problems being college students and taking care of ourselves, I don’t think that having pets would be appropriate.”
Othe would make a mess of both the residence halls and the campus. “By not having pets it keeps the campus cleaner,” Lukaszewicz said.
Black agrees. “Many students aren’t responsible enough to clean up after a pet,” she said.
“Also for noise reasons, I’m glad pets aren’t allowed,” Lukaszewicz said. “I’m glad I don’t have to listen to a barking dog.”
For the most part, Quinnipiac students are satisfied with just having fish as pets. Fish are small, clean, and easy to care for. Many students miss their pets from home, but recognize the problems allowing pets in the dorms could cause too many problems.
