Home is where my pet is
(Editor’s note: Paige Valley is a sophomore journalism major and student photographer for the Office of Strategic Communication.)
After the thrill of being accepted in 2023 to my dream school, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, I sat down to research my most important question: How do I bring my dog, Colt, an 8-month-old Jack Russell terrier and blue heeler mix, to school?
The thought of having my energetic furry friend cooped up in a dorm room did not excite me, and in fact, pets other than fish in a 20-gallon tank or smaller are prohibited in UW residence halls, except for approved Emotional Support Animals or Service Animals.
But first-year students are not required to live in on-campus housing, so I began my pet-friendly apartment hunting. While I was nervous that I would miss out on an integral part of the college experience, I was willing to forgo dorm living to have my best friend attend college with me.
In September, I moved into my apartment across from Camp Randall. I dove into college life, making new friends and joining organizations, while also making sure to return home frequently to hang out with and care for Colt. I planned everything from my class schedule to my social life around returning home multiple times a day to take Colt out. My unique experience pushed me beyond the typical ice-breaker conversation of “what dorm do you live in?” and helped me meet a variety of new people. Soon, my apartment became a prime hangout location, although I sometimes wondered if my best friends wanted to visit Colt more than me!
Coming home to Colt is often the highlight of my day. His tail wags as he jumps up and down when I walk through the door, and I couldn’t feel more grateful to have him with me. Having Colt in Madison has helped me explore trails I may have never walked down, meet people I may have never spoken to and enjoy coming home in a way I would never be able to otherwise.
What follows is a peek into the lives of a few students I have met who share similar pet experiences.
One warning to any student considering getting a pet: They’re a big responsibility, requiring daily feeding and walks, and that doesn’t always fit in with a college lifestyle. In addition, there are expenses, for food, veterinary care and even extra rental fees at many apartments.
Gabby Ruback, a sophomore studying dietetics and nutrition, has known Mr. Astronaut, a 6-month-old betta fish, since the beginning of her sophomore year when she spotted him at a pet store. “It was love at first sight.”
“For a busy student, all you have to do is feed the fish, and he’s super duper happy, right? He’s low maintenance, and he’s just so pretty in there… it’s never not a good time to watch Mr. Astronaut swim around.”
Emma Nelson, a freshman studying political science and psychology, got Shadow, a 2-year-old husky her junior year of high school
“I think having her [Shadow] definitely made my home away from home feel a lot more like home. And it made me feel like I have something to look forward to when I come to the apartment. But it also does have a responsibility, that I can’t just not come back home…”
Ilsa Lofty, a junior studying art, has cared for Ghibli, a 7-year-old tree frog, since the end of middle school, adopting her in 2018.
“Every morning I wake up and she’s right there. I feel like having some kind of routine—of turning on her lights every day, feeding her every day—gives me more structure, and knowing that she’s happy and comfortable as well as me.”
Andrew Li, a sophomore studying biology and Spanish, is pictured in a blue ball cap with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers (left to right in the background, Caeden Harvey-Tame, Grant French, Kevin Le and Owen Walter). Li adopted Leela, left, a 5-month-old ragdoll cat, and Tigger, a 5-month-old Bengal cat during winter break of his sophomore year, and they have since become a part of the Delta Chi family.
“It’s been a real pleasure to see smiles on everyone else’s faces as well… Everyone really enjoys having them [cats] around. You know, you will make time for things that you love. I love my cats. It’s been something that has actually helped me with time management, rather than be a hindrance.”
Renee Stich, left, and Baylee Ackerson are juniors studying animal and veterinary bioscience who’ve adopted a variety of pets. Renee is holding an English lop rabbit named Gouda, and a chinchilla named Evee. Baylee is holding a Dutch rabbit named Cow and an Abyssinian guinea pig named Tilapia.
“I got a chinchilla because I already researched them. We went over them in classes, so I went to pick her up. It was the best decision. It’s benefited me so much. Having her little face stare at me when I get home from school… She’s actually excited to see me,” Renee says.
“Any of my free time is spent at home doing homework. And anytime that I’m at home doing homework, I have them out and with me. I have the guinea pigs in my room and the rabbits out here. So no matter where I am, they’re always surrounding me, and I love that for sure,” Baylee says.
Izzy Kiekhofer, a junior studying informational science and community organizational development, has cared for Hermes, a 12-year-old shorthair cat, since childhood. Her family adopted him from a humane society.
“My roommates fell in love with him, and they, I personally think, decided to keep living with me because of him. I always try to make sure that before I leave for class, I don’t sleep in too late because he needs to be fed. Or, like, ‘oh, he gets fed at five… I have a meeting at six and I want to stop home and feed him first.’ So there is that type of responsibility where I need to be conscious of where I am…”
Ahmad Imam, a junior studying computer science, has cared for 1-year-old sister cats Miss Cleo (pictured) and Kentrell, since adopting them after his freshman year of college.
“My friends are always like, ‘Can we come over and see your cats?’ I like when I do my laundry, and they get in my laundry basket. They sit in there and it’s like a boat. So that’s really cute.”