QUMedia staff: Mia Blaesing, Lindsey Fischer, Lucas Ladenthin, Ryan Capps, MyKel Linear, Keaton Frye, Jake Vitale

Quincy University has observed a marked increase in the number of dogs on its campus over the past five years, prompting the administration to adapt its policies to foster a pet-friendly environment. This surge in pet ownership among students has necessitated revisions in campus policies to ensure harmony and cleanliness, while also enriching campus life.

Sam Lathrop, Quincy University’s director of safety an security, has seen a positive shift in pet management on campus. 

“We’re seeing students being more responsible, particularly after we placed signs urging them to clean up after their pets,” Lathrop said. 

He believes that the enhanced pet policy has contributed to a cleaner campus and better student behavior concerning their pets.

Former Quincy police chief and incoming director of security, Rob Copely, appreciates the positive impact of this policy.

“Being new, I can’t speak to any changes in numbers or policy, but it’s one of the things I immediately noticed,” Copely said. “As long as the student takes care of the animal properly, cleans up after the animal properly, having pets or support animals on campus is a good thing.”

The trend toward pet-friendly campuses is reflected in the variety of animals students bring to Quincy.

“Besides dogs and cats, we once dealt with a hedgehog here in Friar’s Hall and even held a small funeral for it after it passed away,” Lathrop said.

This openness to different types of pets underlines the university’s commitment to accommodating students’ needs for companionship and comfort.

Lathrop also shared a touching story that underscores the emotional support animals provide. He recalled a moment involving his own puppy, Leo, who comforted a distressed student.

“She was crying and sat down on the floor, and Leo came up to her. She was hugging him, and in 10 minutes, she had a smile on her face,” Lathrop said.

Despite the benefits, the presence of pets on campus comes with its challenges. Lathrop pointed out issues such as additional cleaning duties and the occasional irresponsibility of pet owners. Some students will not clean up after their pet at night because no one is watching, but the problem is then placed on maintenance staff.

Lathrop says QU is in the process of updating its pet policy.

“We’re looking at different ways to manage and supervise pets on campus more effectively,” he explained. “Focus on the dog’s behavior. If there’s a problem with the dog’s behavior, then address it, remove it, do what you need to do.”

Lathrop opposes restricting pets based on breed.

He believes that breed or size should not determine a pet’s presence on campus but rather QU should assess the individual behavior of each animal.

Both Lathrop and Copely agree that the presence of pets has a net positive impact on the university environment. Pets not only alleviate stress but also foster a sense of community among students and staff. 

As Quincy University continues to refine its pet policies, it seeks to balance the benefits of a pet-friendly atmosphere with the responsibilities it entails, ensuring a welcoming environment for all people and four legged friends alike.

Benefits of furry friends on campus 

A furry friend can be a pleasant sight in the hectic world of college life, where stress levels rise and deadlines loom. The advantages of having dogs at Quincy University are numerous and deep, ranging from stress reduction to helping with mental health.

The benefits to students’ emotional health that come with keeping dogs on campus are among their most noteworthy advantages. Engaging with dogs can help reduce anxiety and stress levels. A little break from homework can be found in petting a dog for students who are struggling with the stress of tests and homework. 

“Having Mack in the dorms has helped keep my stress away and allowed me to have a better structured schedule. Overall I have been happier and looking forward to each day. Even my roommates are excited to get back to the room to see him. He definitely adds joy to our room,” Ryleigh Jones said. 

Dogs are priceless companions that help students through the highs and lows of college life by providing them with unconditional love and support. Even the worst days can be cheered up by the company of a dog, whether it’s with a wagging tail or a warm cuddle. Campus dogs offer a sense of connection and belonging to a lot of students who could be alone from home or experiencing loneliness. 

“As a therapist I do encourage the use of pet therapy to reduce stress and anxiety,” Kettisha Hodges said. 

Furry companions also give students the chance to practice leadership and communication skills by getting involved in animal welfare-related campus initiatives. Students take on leadership responsibilities that enable them to positively impact their campus community, whether it is by students relating to having a dog on campus or meeting people at local dog shelters and getting to know people at the vet in town. 

On a small college campus, owning dogs has advantages. Dogs improve social interactions, emotional health, academic performance, and personal growth.

“Dogs around campus are very beneficial, especially during this time of year. Stress levels are high with final exams, and last assignments to complete and potentially moving out of the dorm to head home for the summer. Allowing dogs on campus can help to alleviate the stress level of students as any interaction with a dog has been proven to improve the mood of any individual,” Allison Kaiser said.  

The impact of dog companionship can create more inclusive and supportive environments for students to thrive academically and personally.

Registration so easy even a dog could do it.

In order to keep a dog on campus at QU, the dog needs to be registered.

“Getting an animal registered is different depending on if it is a service or mental health animal or if it’s just a pet you want to keep in your room, so looking at the student handbook will be important,” Lathrop said.

The process to register an animal on campus is found in the student handbook under general policies. Dogs slightly edge out cats in numbers on campus.

Since there are not many cases where a service animal would be needed, most ways people will find themselves getting a dog on campus could be for mental health reasons. Students must secure a doctor’s note and submit that to the university. As long as the dog does not become dangerous and all rules are followed then QU will have no problems with this animal.

If rules aren’t followed then consequences will be put in action from the school. the main consequence will be to have that animal registered immediately or removed from campus immediately.

“So far since I have been here we haven’t had any issues with students after they’ve been told to get their dog registered. They have always complied,” Lathrop said.

Consequences are needed to keep order on campus since there have been struggles with unregistered animals in the past. When students bring animals on campus without following the registration process, that causes even more problems for the school when other issues could be solved instead of having to focus on taking care of an unregistered animal. The student handbook lays everything out clearly making registration and the care for the animal as easy as possible.

“Getting him (his dog Arlo) registered was difficult but worth it to be able to have him with me here at school,” Dawson Talbott said.

If you do find yourself with any issues or concerns after looking over the handbook QU would be happy to answer any question you may have. The main people to go to would be Christine Tracy, dean of students, Rob Copley, head of security, or Kourt Finley, director of housing. They all would know the most about any issue you may have with getting an animal registered, or the care for that animal.  

How can you keep your dog healthy?

Students housing dogs on campus can face a number of challenges and risks for the dog.

“Predominantly my concerns would be behavioral,” Allison Heaney, veterinarian, said. “If a dog isn’t getting enough exercise they often become destructive. It really all depends on the nature of the dog.”

Dogs can also face problems from living specifically in a dormitory environment.

“More anxious dogs may not do so well in a noisy environment,” Heaney said. 

What steps should students take in order to maintain a healthy dog on campus?

“I would make sure they follow the wellness plan of their veterinarian, which would include preventative health care like vaccines, heartworm preventative, and dewormer,” Heaney said.

“They should receive a high-quality dog food and access to plenty of water. They should be taken outside at least four times a day, with two of those being longer walks or potentially visits to dog parks for adequate exercise,” Heaney added.

A recent outbreak of parvovirus should be noted by students who want to keep a dog on campus.

Students being aware of the virus’ can help limit the spread of the virus going forward.

“Parvovirus is something you really need to take seriously, not only in a shelter environment, but for any animal coming onto a campus where there are multiple pets. Parvovirus is spread through feces so that should be common sense to clean up after your dog and make sure they’re up to date on their vaccinations. It’s spread quickly so when there is a confirmed case for animals especially that haven’t had a booster for the December parvovirus its really important that those animals that are more susceptible are in a safe space. For animals that are under the age of four months it’s really important to keep them sheltered. With a parvo case on campus its really important that every pet owner is monitoring their pet, is the pets energy level the same as it’s always been, are they eating are they drinking, what do their stools look like,” Pilar Brumbaugh director of the Quincy Humane Society said.

According to the AKC Canine Health Foundation, symptoms of parvo in dogs includes vomiting, diarrhea, and acting very tired or weak. Dogs may also have abnormal body temperatures (either high or low), and organ damage as a result of dehydration.

Puppies who contract the virus can in some cases die as a result of sudden heart disease. Dogs who survive having the virus are also more prone to developing gastrointestinal issues later in their life.

The best method recommended by veterinarians to prevent dogs from catching the virus is to ensure dogs are properly vaccinated.

“The most important step (for students) is to make sure the dogs are adequately vaccinated,” Heaney said. “A dog that is vaccinated for parvovirus following the primary vaccine protocol of the primary care veterinarian has little chance of becoming ill from this disease.”

Heaney also stated that puppies should be treated more carefully than older dogs.

“If a puppy is on campus, it should be kept away from other dogs and dog parks until it has completed its full vaccine protocol,” Heaney said.

There are some steps that universities can take to help ensure the overall safety of dogs being housed on their campuses.

“I think the biggest step a university could take is making sure that all of the dogs are adequately vaccinated. This could include a ‘license’ program that requires proof of vaccination,” Heaney said.

Heaney also acknowledged that students who are busy may have trouble finding time to take dogs to veterinarians.

“(Universities could) work with a local veterinarian to do a low cost vaccination clinic on campus. The vaccinations are really not expensive, especially when compared to the cost of treatment,” Heaney said.

How expensive is a pet on a student budget?

Many students struggle to financially support themselves, and might not take into account the expensive responsibilities if they decide to become a dog owner. There are more costs than the initial expense of owning a dog, and they tend to add up, especially for a college student.

Olivia East is a commuter student at Quincy University.

“I don’t think I would bring my dog on campus if I didn’t commute. I don’t think it would be a good life, and I’m not sure if I could afford it,” East said.

There are many unexpected costs associated with owning and caring for a dog that you may not take into consideration when bringing it to school with you.

For example, one-time costs such a crate, spraying/neutering, vet care, and training supplies cost around $2,100 on average.

Recurring costs for a dog’s grooming, food, vet check ups, pet-sitting fees, boarding, toys, and more dog expenses cost around $2,500 annually.

It may be hard to realize before you get one, but food prices vary for dogs and add up, especially if your dog needs to follow a specific diet that may be more expensive.

Take a look at a popular dog food brand, Purina. There are many options across the brand for all types of dogs. There is a range of prices for the not too cheap, nor too expensive types of food you can get for your dog.

It may not be in your best interest to base your whole decision off of these numbers, but use them as a further guide for your own research depending on whether or not you can sustain a pet at school.

While these costs are average, you must fully be prepared for your dog, because lacking in any aspect of care or maintenance of a dog’s health is a form of abuse and may even be a public hazard.

Some necessary costs you must take into account before bringing your dog on campus is making sure that they are trained enough to not be a nuisance or a danger to people in public, and in good health to be in close quarters with people and other dogs.

This too, costs money.

Dog training classes cost around $30-$50 per class, but vary depending on the trainer. 

It is in your best interest to properly train your dog to ensure that it won’t hurt other people, dogs, or more commonly, won’t cause too much noise or damage to your dorm. 

Too many noise complaints can result in fines in which damage to your QU owned dorm furniture will also result in fines by the university. 

It will be more cost efficient in addition to having peace of mind, knowing that your dog is trained.

In order for your dog to be on campus, you need to keep it healthy by feeding it well, clean so it doesn’t spread any diseases, and up to date on all vaccines and treatments so it doesn’t harm anyone or their pets. 

Overall, vaccines seem to range from $20-$60 and while it may not seem like much, if your dog does get sick, the expenses to treat your little friend does add up.

These costs may be altered to the specific breed, size, and needs of different dogs, of which you may want to look further into if you’re wanting to bring a dog on campus. 

The adoption process for pets and emotional support animals 

Many students on the campus of QU have found support and companionship in adopting an emotional support animal, reflecting a growing trend on campus. The adoption policy may seem daunting, but many students find that it’s worth it to go through the process. With help from experts like Brumbaugh, the executive director of the Quincy Humane Society, students are navigating the adoption process with care. 

The Quincy Human Society is a non-profit, privately funded, no-kill animal shelter. The adoption process for the Humane Society is listed on their website. The Humane Society the employees are eager to help adopters find the best pet match for their lifestyle and the organization prides itself on responsible pet ownership.

Brumbaugh has worked full time at the shelter for the last three years. She has been the executive director for the last two years. Brumbaugh reviews many applications from QU students.

“Every adopter is treated the same as far as the whole process goes to adopting a pet. We work really closely with Dr. Tracy and her team to make sure that there is some sort of approval. Here’s the thing though, yes, you guys are students, and yes, the school has their tests they do, and we have our tests we do for our organization. Again, it comes to that responsibility,” Brumbaugh said.

 The adoption application will be looked over by an adoption counselor. This is typically a three day process. The counselor will do a background check to verify information with past veterinarians. Potential adopters will have to interact with the animal in the Humane Society before putting the animal on hold while the application is processed. 

“Every animal that people want to potentially take home, we want them to get to know the pet, but we also need to know a little bit about them as well. So we look at a lot of different things. The first being, basic contact information. Once someone fills out the one page application, we have to be able to contact them. So we’ll ask for a name and phone number, where the person is  living, and we will ask if they rent or own,” Brumbaugh said.

In the past the Human Society has asked people who live or rent on a campus if the have permission to have pets. A person knowing they have permission shows the potential adopter has good character and is responsible enough to adopt.

Rebecca Ritter was walking dogs with her lacrosse team for team bonding at the Quincy Humane Society when Rocky was assigned to her. They walked the usual trail, and as Rocky showed more of his personality, Ritter fell more and more in love with him. Rocky is on a home visit in Ritters dorm until he is officially adopted. 

“His name is Rocky, but I plan to adopt him on Friday and change his name to Banjo. He came from breeders, and no one wanted to adopt him. He was an outdoor dog in someone’s backyard before he went to the Humane Society. Rocky was really well behaved. He kept giving little, gentle, jumpy hugs, and I fell in love with him. So far, he’s been great in the dorms and I can’t wait to sign the adoption papers. The process was super easy, and the employees at the shelter were helpful with what they sent with him for his home visit. They also showed that they cared about the dog’s future, making sure he would be put in a healthy environment.” 

More accommodations needed for dogs on campus, including training and dog walkers

  Whether it is a puppy or a grown dog, all dogs are playful, but also love having human time. When dogs are left alone, they are often asleep or whining and barking. Oftentimes when the dog is making a noise they need to use the restroom or they’re hungry. On a college campus, it could be difficult for the college student to get their work done. At QU dogs are often left alone because 84% of students on campus are student athletes.

A lot of the dog owner’s time is spent at their sport. Students spend time at practice, lifting, or at a meeting that could leave the dog by itself in a small dorm for hours at a time. 

You might have some friends who could let your dog out while doing whatever your sport needs you to do. Something that could be added on campus, could be a dog walker to take your dog out for a half an hour while you’re at your two- hour practice. Another thing that could be added is a dog park. Friars Field has the perfect spot, it has a long grassy area where you can set up a50′ by 50′ fence for dogs to run.

A dog park could be good on campus with two workers. One could watch some of the dogs while the other one takes the other half of the dogs for walks. This would make it easier for both people not having to take all the dogs of all the athletes at once for a walk or having to watch all the dogs at one time. 

Training your dog can be easy. When you’re training your dog, you can use certain tactics like giving them a treat or petting them. The basics to dog training is starting with obedience and using positive reinforcement like treats or a new toy.

If you don’t have time to train your dog at home or while you’re on campus training can often be anywhere from $30-$80. That is on average sometimes group training can be cheaper though but private lessons can be more expensive not all dogs are the same though, and this can take time depending on the breed.

Potty training is one of the most important things to having a puppy. Potty training is probably one of the hardest things to train a puppy to do. Like the other trainings the easiest way to train it is take it outside until it goes to the bathroom and then once it does that give it a reward.

The next thing is if your dog is potty trained, and goes on Friars Field how would you clean it up? This is where the input of poop stations could be in place. A lot of people don’t have bags to clean up after their dogs and if there were poop bag stations, the students wouldn’t have to worry about it. This way Friars Field stays clean because that is where most people hang out when they are outside.

If the pet population on campus continues to grow, QU should invest in a dog park, hire someone to walk the dogs while the athletes are practicing, and install poop bag stations around campus.