Pets at Hopkins
From JhuWiki
Many students have pets at Hopkins. What kind you have (and whether you "go public" with it) depends a lot on where you live...
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[edit] Pets in Dorms
Keeping a pet in your dorm room is explicitly forbidden by the University. If your RA sees it or it's found during room inspections, it will be taken away and surrendered to an animal shelter. Nonetheless, lots of students have dorm pets.
The most common dorm pet is a betta fish. They're easy to keep - they can live in small bowls, don't need frequent water changes and are preternaturally hardy - and easy to conceal. During room checks, they can just be put in a drawer or under the bed. Most RAs don't really care if you have a fish.
Slightly higher on the difficulty scale are firebelly toads or hermit crabs. Both can be bought cheaply at Petsmart and are pretty easy to take care of. They tend to require larger tanks, though, so they're harder to hide.
Even more difficult are hamsters or mice. Some students have them, but you have to be really careful to hide them during room inspections (their cages can be fairly big), and if they escape, you'll really be in trouble (plus, you'll probably never see them again).
Beyond that, I've heard of a few students with large snakes, cats or even small dogs. I wouldn't recommend this. They are obviously very difficult to hide, especially if they're noisy. Dogs also need to go out, and getting them in and out past security could prove difficult.
[edit] Pets in Off-Campus Housing
Depending on where you live, you may be allowed to have pets. Most apartment buildings allow pets like fish or hamsters. Many allow cats, but most often only one or two - plus, you'll probably have to pay a fee and show proof of vaccination from a veterinarian. Some apartments allow dogs, but usually they have to be under 30 pounds when full grown and cannot be mixed with "dangerous" breeds like pit bull, rottweiler, doberman, etc. You'll probably also have to show vet records, pay fees and put down a security deposit in case your dog wrecks your apartment.
[edit] Other Considerations
[edit] Time
Do you have time to care for a pet? Even betta fish ned to be fed every day and have their water changed fairly often. Other pets require far more attention, and if you're busy with class, work or friends all day, it's cruel to your pet to neglect it.
[edit] Money
All pets cost money, not only for the pet itself but for supplies, food, vet care, etc. If your pet was accidentally injured or became ill, could you afford to take care of it? If not, you probably shouldn't own it.
[edit] Travel
Most students leave campus during winter break, spring break and summer break. Can you take your pet with you? If not, can you arrange for someone responsible to take care of it? If you live in California and need to fly home, you can't take a fish (or a hamster, or a cat, etc.) with you. It's probably better to forgo getting a pet until you have a more permanent living situation.
[edit] Stealth
If you really want to get a pet, and you live where pets aren't allowed, you need to be really sure no one will find out. If your pet is discovered, it will most likely be taken from you on the spot and will not be returned.
[edit] Adopting a Pet
If you decide to get a pet, adoption is usually the best way to go. No animal shelter will adopt a pet to you if you live in a dorm - another good reason to wait until you have your own place. When you have your own apartment and have cleared it with your roommates and landlord, here are some good places to adopt:
- BARCS - Animal shelter located near Camden yards that adopts out cats and dogs
- Maryland SPCA - Animal shelter located in Hampden, within walking distance of campus, that adopts out cats dogs, rabbits and ferrets
- Maryland Reptile Rescue
