Kittens, gerbils and snakes, oh my!

Students break the rules to bring their best friends to campus

By Brett Sowerby

Posted on Monday, October 22nd, 2007, 12:00 am

What says “college” more than breaking the rules? Students from far and wide come to the University of Maine and habitually toss societal rules out the window. Nearly everyone has read the Police Beat to see the vast amount of regulations routinely cast aside by young adults in Orono. One rule that does not get nearly as much coverage is that of on-campus pets.

Pet owners live the life of a semi-fugitive. They must be ever vigilant to protect their loved ones. The cost associated with letting their guard down may be the company of their best friend. A third-year cat owner explained her precautions.

“Febreze is my best friend . I have to make sure I change the litter-box pretty frequently to keep the smell down.” She expressed her underlying fear that she would have to find a new home for her cat. “He’s worth it, though.”

Pets are a special kind of crime here at UMaine. Attention is only shown to owners when a vigilant – and sometimes loathed – resident assistant ousts them. Pet owners are given the same treatment as those who violate the ban on waterbeds, toasters and mini-fridges. However, infractions of university policy carry a special price: it involves another living being.

With pet ownership comes some risk. College students are not notoriously known for their caring attitudes. More often, they are known for getting drunk and forgetting things – term papers, library books and the merits of drinking responsibly. This can be devastating to a creature that relies on said student for care and support, and more importantly, food and water.

Because of the many precautions taken, some pets must live a restricted life to keep them from the eyes – and noses, apparently – of those who would bring them to justice. Often, this means living solely in a cage. Although they have no words to express it, this confinement cannot be as enjoyable as freedom.

A third-year political science major explained how much it pained her to keep her rabbit, Tom Tom, locked up most of the time. “I have to really know someone before I let them see [Tom Tom] . I feel bad having him caged up a lot of the time, but I don’t want him getting out and getting turned in.”

Tom Tom’s owner actually went around her wing and asked the other residents if anyone was allergic. “Everyone seemed really cool about it, and most of them come by to play with him and feed him.” Tom Tom’s cute, pulsating nose is possibly the answer to solving world peace. More studies need to be conducted on that subject.

The university claims that it encourages pet ownership, so long as that pet cannot live above water for more than several minutes. This seems to alleviate the problem of runaway animals that may take up permanent residence in the local on-campus dwellings. How often do you hear of apartments infested with goldfish? Not nearly as often as those clever and cute mice that once lived a caged life. Not to mention, pet snakes smell a touch unpleasant when they die underneath a radiator and remain hidden over spring break.

According to the UMaine’s “Guide to Campus Living,” only service animals are allowed in resident halls. However, under the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, people with disabilities – including those diagnosed with depression – have the right to keep “emotional support animals” even when the landlord’s policy explicitly prohibits it.

Essentially, this means that if a student were diagnosed with a disability and he/she were “prescribed” a comfort animal, he/she could make a case for keeping it on campus. Whether or not he/she would retain the right to keep the service animal in a resident hall would be up to the courts.

Representatives for Residence Life refused to comment on this matter by press time.

The university not only worries about loose pets, but also about the general wear and tear that housing undergoes with the stress of containing a being with mediocre – at best – bladder control. Let’s face it, animals smell. People would smell too if we didn’t shower on a regular basis, and we used our tongues as toilet paper.

Moreover, what about people with allergies? They would be uncomfortable if our furry friends were allowed to roam freely. This seems to be one of the main concerns in housing

Surprisingly, students all over campus are actually attempting to take on more responsibility than required. They fight back against traditional wisdom – and rules – and break from how they are instructed to act. They hide their pets from their resident assistants and become pseudo-outlaws on the UMaine campus

Obviously, there are some benefits to illicit pets, such as companionship. A second-year biology major commented on this friendship as it regarded her pet hamster, Gregory. “He’s just always there, no matter what happened that day.” Gregory remained occupied throughout our conversation in his exercise wheel, pausing only occasionally as if listening to what was said.

Pets are a great way to relieve stress after a long day and are great companions if you fancy yourself a compassionate person. If you make the choice to live the life of a campus-dwelling non-aquatic animal keeper, be aware of the consequences.

Don’t misunderstand, pets are not quite as serious as children are – for one thing, rabbits only live about 10 years – but ownership still carries a heavy responsibility. Perhaps that trip to Canada will have to wait until a reliable cat-sitter is found. Perhaps that kegger on Stillwater will need to be sacrificed in lieu of an emergency trip to the vet.