BY JUSTIN MERRELL, Staff Reporter

It is relatively common for students to own pets. On a warm summer day, students will walk with their dogs through campus, and all through the year they will fill their social media profiles with pictures of their pets.

Being a college student and a pet owner can be a balancing act. Managing class schedules, homework, part-time jobs, and a social life, all while caring for a pet, is a complex formula.

“It’s a challenge owning a pet in college,” Nicole Mickelson, senior psychology and sociology major, said.

Mickelson brings her family dog Duke, a three-year-old Black Lab/Gordon Setter, to school with her for months at a time.

Mickelson notes that the companionship and unconditional love that animals provide can help students forget about the trials and tribulations of college.

Additionally, having a dog can add structure to a student’s day – although the responsibility is a double-edged sword.

“It can be stressful,” Mickelson said. “Especially because Duke’s so big, and we have such a small apartment…I’m definitely thinking about him when I’m in class.”

Mickelson feels it’s unfair to leave him waiting around all day, so she alleviates her anxiety by coming home in between classes to let Duke out, play fetch and eat.

Dogs also require space, a luxury most college students do not have and Mickelson encourages future dog owners to ‘ratio’ the size or their dog to the size or their place.

A strain student pet owners can face is cost. According to senior physics major Austen Stone, pet food isn’t cheap and visits to the veterinarian are expensive.

Another complication Stone faces is scheduling his day. Students may have to give up certain social aspects of their life in order to care for their pet.

“You essentially have to plan around your dog,” Stone said.

Stone manages school, a part-time job, and his dog Pepper, a blue heeler/Australian shepherd but feels the experience has made him a more organized person.

He advised students aspiring to own a pet to make sure they have the time to care for their animal. Stone also warned the time and effort required may detract from study hours for school.

Stone said it is challenging, “especially because my major involves a lot of homework hours and a full weeks schedule, but it’s been a really rewarding experience.”

Stone felt a leashless pet park would be beneficial for the community. With a high amount of student pet owners around campus, the park would provide a great place for fellow owners to socialize and let animals play.

“It would be really cool [to have a leashless pet park],” Bryce Todd, senior recreation and tourism major, said, “especially for students with bigger dogs that need to get out, run and release their energy.”

Todd lives with three roommates and Mack, a bulldozer of a pug, where the additional support of roommates takes most of the stress out of owning a pet.

“These last few years I’ve been really wishing there was a dog park,” Mickelson said, “because there aren’t many places in Ellensburg to take dogs and let them play off their leash.”