Many students at Quincy University have made the big decision to get a pet, specifically dogs, on campus this spring. Students say that having their little friend helps deal with the stress of classes and gives them an excuse to exercise.

However, there are many problems that students are facing when mixing a puppy with dorm life.

Addison Eades, a freshman, explains her experience having a dog on campus.

“Watching a puppy definitely has some rewards to it, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility in the age where you have to potty train them, crate train them, and teach them to be a good dog,” Eades said.

Often times, students don’t understand exactly what hardships raising a dog entails when they decide to get one. Not to mention the conditions that the dog would endure depending on the student and their school and dorm environment.

While Eades had a dog on campus for a few weeks, she no longer keeps it there.

Other students have noticed the uptick in dogs on campus and have mixed feelings about it.

Devin Bakay is a resident in Padua Hall and enjoys seeing the dogs on campus when going to class. On the other hand, he notices many problems that come with owning a dog as a student.

“I think it’s cool seeing dogs on campus, but this isn’t really a dog friendly campus. I see a lot of dog poop where I’m trying to walk across the Helein lawn and it’s kind of annoying. I also think that only some students should have dogs if they have the time and energy to take care of them,” Bakay said.

While there is no problem if you meet the school guidelines and moral standards of owning a dog, many QU students don’t meet the criteria to own a dog, and shouldn’t keep one on campus.

As most of the students on campus are athletes, they simply don’t have the time to care for a dog. In addition to this, many students are in a single dorm, with not enough space to meet a dog’s needs. Some of these dogs are also not registered through QU.

“I feel like only certain people should be able to have a dog,” Rochelle Witzke said.

Witzke says that there is a lot of things to think about when getting a dog as it’s a big responsibility.

Regardless, the QU campus does not house adequate space or doggy-care amenities which makes it extremely difficult to care for a dog in the first place.

If students do have the time to care for a dog, enough space to house them, and meet the necessary QU guidelines, then it is absolutely acceptable to have a dog. However, there are many variables to think about bringing your little friend to school with you.