Pet owning can ease post-college transition
Editorial
Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: Editorial
What can be more rewarding than giving your love to an animal?
As students, we often have our plates full with enough responsibilities, like attending class, doing homework, studying for tests, earning money, hanging out with friends, and other time-consuming activities which leaves us lacking the extra attention needed to take care of a pet.
Having a pet requires many responsibilities and sometimes money we do not have. Aside from your time and care, pets require food, clean water, baths, grooming and exercise. Basic purchases necessary for your pet, depending on the animal, include anything from a collar and leash to a tank and rocks. Check-ups at a veterinarian's office are essential to keeping your pet in the best health.
Students living in UTC's dormitories are prohibited from keeping any animals other than fish, and students living in off-campus apartments are often required to pay a non-refundable pet fee.
It sounds like a lot of extra work, so why should anyone adopt a pet? As college students, many of us have moved out of the shelter and care of our parents and into our own place, and others are getting ready to take this step. It may be the first time we are looking to get a pet of our own, and many things should be taken into consideration.
When you decide to adopt a pet, make sure you adopt from some kind of shelter rather than a pet store, and be skeptical of pets for sale in the newspaper.
Consider limiting purchases pets from breeders and pet stores to help control the growing pet population problem we already have in Chattanooga.
More than seven million cats and dogs are euthanized each year because of overpopulation, according to www.adoptapet.com. We should help find homes for pets that already exist rather than supporting those who are breeding animals faster than they should to make money.
The McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center in Chattanooga, according to www.mckameyanimalcenter.org, euthanized 154 animals total in January alone. According to the same Web site, The McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center had 535 cats and dogs in their care at the end of last month.
Right now, because of our suffering economy, pets are the last to get consideration when it comes to distributing our money.
Pets are often first to go when cutting expenses, and surely shelters are feeling the consequences of the lack of funding.
As students, we often have our plates full with enough responsibilities, like attending class, doing homework, studying for tests, earning money, hanging out with friends, and other time-consuming activities which leaves us lacking the extra attention needed to take care of a pet.
Having a pet requires many responsibilities and sometimes money we do not have. Aside from your time and care, pets require food, clean water, baths, grooming and exercise. Basic purchases necessary for your pet, depending on the animal, include anything from a collar and leash to a tank and rocks. Check-ups at a veterinarian's office are essential to keeping your pet in the best health.
Students living in UTC's dormitories are prohibited from keeping any animals other than fish, and students living in off-campus apartments are often required to pay a non-refundable pet fee.
It sounds like a lot of extra work, so why should anyone adopt a pet? As college students, many of us have moved out of the shelter and care of our parents and into our own place, and others are getting ready to take this step. It may be the first time we are looking to get a pet of our own, and many things should be taken into consideration.
When you decide to adopt a pet, make sure you adopt from some kind of shelter rather than a pet store, and be skeptical of pets for sale in the newspaper.
Consider limiting purchases pets from breeders and pet stores to help control the growing pet population problem we already have in Chattanooga.
More than seven million cats and dogs are euthanized each year because of overpopulation, according to www.adoptapet.com. We should help find homes for pets that already exist rather than supporting those who are breeding animals faster than they should to make money.
The McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center in Chattanooga, according to www.mckameyanimalcenter.org, euthanized 154 animals total in January alone. According to the same Web site, The McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center had 535 cats and dogs in their care at the end of last month.
Right now, because of our suffering economy, pets are the last to get consideration when it comes to distributing our money.
Pets are often first to go when cutting expenses, and surely shelters are feeling the consequences of the lack of funding.
