Opinion: Students adopt pets to reduce feelings of homesickness and isolation — regardless of how prepared they are
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Moving to a new place is a hardship that many people undergo.
Part of the moving process requires leaving everything you are familiar with and starting fresh in a new town with new people.
Moving can be especially jarring when it is to Eugene, where you begin to live on your own and everyone seems to already know one another.
At the start of this transition, it is very common for students to feel homesick and isolated. On average, 70% of students experience homesickness and feelings of isolation when they move out for college.
An increasing number of students combat these feelings by adopting a pet. However, animals require much more time, love, financial stability and consistency than many students expect.
This discrepancy in judgment leads students to adopt with little consideration, only to surrender the pet to an animal shelter when the school year comes to a close or when the responsibility becomes too large.
Sarah Bouzad, community engagement and events manager at Greenhill Humane Society, helps animals find homes and informs adopters about the responsibilities of pet ownership.
“We have taken in more animals in the shelter due to lost animals, animals being brought in by animal welfare officers and surrenders,” Bouzad said. “We have seen students being very respectful and committed to their pets. Mostly the reason we have seen people surrendering their pets is behavioral issues and lack of housing.”
Although this is the ostensible case for Greenhill Humane Society, smaller animal shelters in Lane County have expressed frustration over the number of students who change their minds about pet ownership when the school year is over, surrendering their pets to the shelter..
For privacy reasons, said shelters have decided to omit an official comment on the issue.
When surrendered, animals can experience trauma from the stressful event. This emotional trauma can lead them to exhibit behavioral problems like depression, aggression, fear and anxiety.
“Pets absolutely suffer trauma,” Bouzad said. “Pets can suffer mental illness, as well. Just like we can suffer from physical and mental abuse, so can animals … It’s a pretty stressful event when an animal is surrendered.”
The behaviors resulting from trauma often make it difficult for them to find a home because people typically seek well-behaved animals that are easy to care for.
However, when they are rehabilitated and adopted, animals can provide a great sense of love to people who are going through hardship, which is why so many students choose to adopt.
Olive Muller, a sophomore at the University of Oregon, owns a pet Doberman whom she walks around campus frequently.
“He’s pretty much my best friend,” Muller said. “So, instead of socializing, I just hang out with my dog. I think he saved my life. The pros outweigh the cons in my opinion.”
Students at UO considering adopting should know that to own a pet, they must spend a lot of time providing care for them. Like Muller, this often means missing out on social events.
All of the time spent, which remains essential to the well-being of the pet, can seem overwhelming for UO students who lead social, deadline-driven lives and tend to leave town during break.
Ultimately, homesickness and feelings of isolation after moving to university lessen with time. So, if a student is thinking about adopting a pet to scratch the loneliness itch they must consider what ownership will entail long term. They should look for support elsewhere or make certain they have the wherewithal to provide before deciding to bring an animal into the picture.
“Animals are so loving and can be so therapeutic,” Bouzad said. “I do caution that it is a commitment, so be realistic with time expectations and if you are going to need extra hands to help.”
Preparation and consistency are essential to giving animals the lives they deserve and avoiding the unnecessary trauma of separation. Students must think about ownership holistically and think about what exactly they are able to offer their pet in return for their pet’s love.