When Anna Lozito, a junior biology major, moved off campus, she knew she wanted to adopt a cat to help with stress and anxiety. Somehow, she ended up with two \u2014 Mika and Loki.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI never really planned on getting two cats, but Mika seemed to be lonely and is definitely happier with her brother here,\u201d Lozito said.<\/p>\n
From cats to reptiles to service dogs in training, Pitt students are turning to pet ownership for stress relief and learning to balance their hectic schedules with pet-related responsibilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lozito said she got \u201clucky\u201d with her two cats.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are both super low maintenance,\u201d Lozito said. \u201cObviously, it took some adjusting to get into a routine that worked with my classes and being home with them, but I am also lucky that I have a roommate who is willing to feed and take care of them if I\u2019m going to be out late studying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wendy Li, who completed her undergraduate degree at Pitt and is now pursuing a master\u2019s in athletic training, has raised service dogs since her first year of college through Pitt\u2019s program STEP at Pitt<\/a>, a service-dog-in-training program through Canine Companions<\/a>. Li is currently raising her fourth puppy, Bouquet<\/a>, through the program.\u00a0<\/p>\n Li said the puppy raisers have their dogs for about a year and a half, during which time they teach the dogs basic commands. From there, they go to Canine Companions for professional training for six to nine months before being matched with someone in need.\u00a0<\/p>\n Li said raising puppies has taught her a lot about time management. She believes raising puppies has given her schedule more structure, especially since dogs thrive on a routine.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey know when it\u2019s dinner time. They know when they tend to go to the bathroom,\u201d Li said. \u201cIt\u2019s been helpful to build my schedule around that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Morgan Tormo, a junior social work major and member of STEP at Pitt, is currently raising her puppy Caspian<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI have always had dogs growing up, and coming to school, I was like, \u2018I need a dog,\u2019 but I didn\u2019t want to get a permanent dog [because] I don\u2019t know where I\u2019ll be after school,\u201d Tormo said. \u201cThis is kind of like the perfect balance. I feel like \u2014 even though it\u2019s really hard some days \u2014 it\u2019s also so nice to come back to him and be able to train him and hang out with him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Tormo said raising service dogs has been meaningful and taught her \u201ca lot of responsibility.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHaving to balance school work and having a pet is a lot, but it also has helped me a lot with my time management [and] my personal responsibility because now, I\u2019m also responsible for a pet,\u201d Tormo said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ella Crimmins, a junior neuroscience major, adopted a ball python, who she named George, four months ago because of her love of reptiles.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted a ball python because they are very easy to take care of and aren\u2019t difficult to convince a landlord to allow,\u201d Crimmins said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Crimmins said having a routine helps her balance her academic workload and the responsibilities that come with owning a pet.<\/p>\n \u201cSetting up the enclosure is definitely the most time-consuming part, but once everything\u2019s established, you really only have to spray down the tank a few times a week and set aside 20 minutes to feed [it] once a week,\u201d Crimmins said. \u201cI usually get all of that done in passing between coming home and going to class.\u201d<\/p>\n Lozito emphasized the importance of doing research beforehand for students interested in adopting or caring for a pet.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere are so many shelters and rescues, especially in Pittsburgh, and the staff always wants to help you find the match that fits your lifestyle the most,\u201d Lozito said. \u201cI know for me, my apartment doesn\u2019t allow pets, so I also had to register them as Emotional Support Animals<\/a> before they could live in my apartment with me, so that\u2019s something to think about as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Crimmins believes students should fully look into the commitments and costs before adopting an animal.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c[Students need] to definitely do extensive research on their care and ensure they have the time and finances to commit to having a pet at this point in their life,\u201d Crimmins said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Li also said students need to understand the responsibilities and time commitment that come with raising animals.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI remember my third dog \u2014 I didn\u2019t get her as a baby puppy, because I knew that during that time of my life, I could not handle an eight-week-old puppy, so she came to me when she was seven months old,\u201d Li said.<\/p>\n For students who can handle the responsibility of pet ownership, Tormo said they should \u201cjust do it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s nice to have a pet at home [to] balance out a bunch of stuff and create a calm atmosphere for you,\u201d Tormo said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0\n<\/p>\n