As the winter weather begins to warm, the streets of Springfield are filled with people enjoying the outside air, often accompanied by their faithful canine companion.

While owning a dog is enjoyable and rewarding, there are many additional aspects to consider. Several Drury dog-owning students offer their advice to others hoping to adopt a ‘fur baby’ of their own.

Senior Miriam Colligan owns a dog named Sadie. Her biggest piece of advice is to make sure that you’ve prepared in advance for the responsibility.

“I would recommend taking time to plan out finances and review resources before adopting,” said Colligan.

Some important financial concerns to consider are the costs of food, grooming equipment, toys, vaccinations, veterinarian visits, and microchips.

“It’s important to know to be aware of all the costs before you adopt,” continued Colligan. “It can be a lot of work but it’s more than worth it.”

Finances are not the only thing to keep in mind. Junior Allie Shiltz raises Blue Heeler puppies as a side job. She said the main thing students should consider is the amount of free time they have available.

“Adult dogs are easier to take care of as they don’t require as much attention and time if they are already potty trained,” said Shiltz.

While adopting an adult dog may be the easier route, puppies are a popular choice because of their cute appearance. Shiltz says this makes sense, but you should keep in mind that they are a bigger time commitment than adult dogs.

“They just require more work as they will need more attention and care to properly train them,” said Shiltz.

Adults also generally have less energy, which may be important for students living in smaller spaces like apartments and lofts, rather than houses.

Photo courtesy of Schiltz

Another important note to keep in mind is residential rules regarding pets. The first floor of Jefferson Park North is currently the only on-campus living space that allows pets, but many off-campus apartments do as well. However, there is usually an initial fee or deposit, and sometimes an additional “pet rent” every month. Additionally, many apartments do not allow dogs over a certain weight, or may require that cats be declawed. These are potentially deal breaking restrictions, so make sure to ask your landlord before assuming they will allow your pet.

On a related note, students with disabilities can bring registered service and support animals with them on campus wherever they go, albeit with certain conditions and restrictions based on the species and breed of the animal. Many different species of animals can be registered, so this is an option worth considering if applicable.

Information about Jefferson Park North and other on-campus housing options can be found at http://www.drury.edu/housing/Apartment-Style-Housing

Drury’s Animals on Campus Policy can be found at http://www.drury.edu/community-standards/animals-on-campus-policy

The pet agreement that must be completed prior to bringing a pet into on-campus housing can be found at http://www.drury.edu/housing/pdf/pet-agreement.pdf

If you think adopting an animal is right for you, The Humane Society of Southwest Missouri is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding homes for any animal surrendered to them. They have an open-admission and no-kill policy, meaning they will receive any animal and take care of them until they are adopted, no matter how long it takes.

The Humane Society is located at 3161 W. Norton Rd., Springfield, Mo. 65803. Their website can be found at http://www.swh.org/

Article written by Mason Coble