Leaving home for college is rough; leaving your favorite pet is downright heartbreaking. If only it were easier to find pet-friendly student housing in Humboldt County, Collegiettes wouldn’t have to worry about leaving their furry friends behind.
HSU Wildlife major Elizabeth Morgan brought her German Sheppard mix Riley to her new house after spending the fall without her. During her first semester at HSU, Morgan lived in a house that did not allow pets. Morgan moved so she could bring Riley up with her.
“I already had my dog before I moved here. It wasn’t really fair to leave her with my dad just because I was going to school,” Morgan said. “Plus, I really missed her.”
Now, the property management company Morgan rents from is turning the house in to an apartment complex. Morgan has to find a new house for Riley and herself by April.
“I had no idea this was happening,” Morgan said. “A lot of property up here is owned by my management company, and their pet policies are so strict. It’s a mess,” she said.
Morgan still believes that students shouldn’t be discouraged from owning a pet. “There’s definitely a personal reward from having a pet that no landlord can really put a price on,” she said.
Holly Ferrara, a Wildlife senior, brought her two guinea pigs, Buddy and Burt, up to Humboldt the year she moved out of the dorms.
“They have their own personalities,” she said. “They’re definitely a part of me, and I don’t think I could live without a pet companion.”
Ferrara has had her two guinea pigs for almost four years now. Although her property management does not allow pets, she isn’t worried.
“Legally, they have to give you 24-hour notice if they are going to search your home,” she said.
Ferrara thinks the property management pet policy should be open for an extra security deposit. “I can see where they’re coming from,” she said. “But I would totally pay an extra security deposit if it meant I was able to keep my pets here.”
Ferrara said she has never come across any student who had a problem taking care of their pet while in school.
“I feel like pets are a really big stress reliever,” she said. “Playing with my guinea pigs definitely helps with stress.”
“Having a pet teaches you a whole other type of responsibility,” Ferrara said. “You definitely learn a lot from owning a pet.”
It’s possible that the property management companies and private landlords are missing out on a big student population that have pets. Junior English Major Everardo Cuevas thinks the same exact thing.
Cuevas wanted to bring his cat, Amy, from home after he moved off campus. “I think one out of every 10 places we looked at allowed pets, but they were really hard to get, and the rent was really high,” he said.
Cuevas also warned about the scammers who post ads, preying on the desperate, house hunting pet owners. “The fake listings always tailor to people who have pets because they know how hard it is to find a place up here,” he said.
“What sucks is that in the end, it’s something that you have to compromise with. A really great apartment or house versus having your pet,” Cuevas said. “I would pay an extra pet deposit, no questions asked.”
Cuevas noticed that it’s easier to find housing that allows pets when you look in to renting a bigger house. “If you really want to have a pet, look in to having four or five roommates as well. The smaller houses sometimes don’t even have pet deposits,” he said.
Even though Cuevas was unable to bring Amy up from Los Angeles with him, he’s still hopeful. “For me, having my pet is a comfort thing,” Cuevas said. “It’s nice to come home to something that’s alive.”