Throughout my life, I always had an unhealthy obsession with the big-eared animals we know as rabbits. As a kid, I owned pet rabbits, but the responsibility fell more on my parents than on me since I knew a lot less about proper rabbit care as a child. However, now that I am in college and live on my own, I made the decision to adopt a rabbit named Luna. Luna functions as my emotional support animal—not to be confused with service animals, which are bred with special skills and endure months of training to do their jobs. Luna is an emotional support animal I love her more than life itself, but there are some issues that no amount of pet care forums could prepare me for.
- The Cost Might Be More Than You Originally Budgeted For
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Ideally, the everyday expenses of a pet include food, litter and toys. It’s not too bad if you budget yourself right. Luna’s diet consists of leafy greens, vegetables and hay. (I’m grateful because, honestly, I couldn’t do the slimy, wet dog food every day. Yuck!) Weekly, she eats about $10 worth of perishable food. A large bag of Timothy Hay can cost around $14 and lasts for about two to three weeks. Bedding isn’t super expensive either. I change her litterbox every three to four days, so her $22 bag of bedding lasts about a month. The toys can range from repurposing the boxes my Amazon packages come in as hiding places for free to $20 for an higher-end Oxbow chewing post.
However, there can be many other unexpected bills. On the day I brought her home, Luna got her nail caught in my carpet and began bleeding from her paw. Luckily, I was prepared with blood-clotting powder that she then wiped on her eye, resulting in an eye infection and a $120 vet bill. Truly, it was a nightmare and I had to spend our first two weeks of knowing each other shoving some gel medication into her poor little eyeballs. Of course, rabbits are not the only ones who can suffer from health issues; take dogs, for example. Pugs can develop breathing problems, dachshunds are expected to deal with back problems in their lives, and golden retrievers are prone to cancers. The list goes on. If money is something that causes you anxiety, owning an emotional support animal could really add to your stress.
- The Mess Can Cause Stress
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After a long day of work or school, you come home to a stain on the carpet next to the litterbox with your pet contently sitting beside it. If your animal is not spayed or neutered, you may find yourself in this situation repeatedly because of the nature of animals instinctively marking their territory with, well, their bladders. Regardless, you must make the trip to buy carpet cleaner to deal with the mess and it must include ingredients that are safe for animals. Exposing your animals to traditional chemicals could lead to respiratory problems or them potentially becoming sick from accidentally ingesting the cleaner. Don’t even get me started on shedding season. The excess of pet hair which decorates your clothes and furniture simply by existing in the same vicinity of your furball is unbelievable. Keep the vacuum handy and a lint roller nearby. I always tell myself that it will eventually pass.
- The Responsibility Restricts Your Schedule
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I am required to be home at the very least every morning and night to serve breakfast and dinner to Luna although, I am home much more than that. Whether quality time for you means watching your cat chase a laser pointer around your living room or taking your dog on a walk, it is how you form a bond with your pet. Luna and I usually sit on the floor of my room while I do my homework. We eat together too! Having a pet rabbit has made me a little healthier. Whenever I’m breaking of a stalk of celery for her breakfast, I can’t help but break off one for myself too. Also, have you ever seen a rabbit chew? Cutest. Thing. Ever. Might be a little creepy if she weren’t my pet that I shower with love, but I watch her eat every meal. That quality time is important. Animals get lonely just like people do. So, I cannot make the decision on a whim to go visit a friend for the weekend at a college a few hours away. If you are on a strict schedule already or you like the freedom to do what you please, you might want to reconsider an adopting a pet or emotional support animal.
- It Is All Worth It
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As I am sitting here writing this, Luna jumped on my chest and began kissing my nose. The joy of snuggling up with her while watching TV outweighs the nuisance of having to frequently replace my phone charger due to her treating it like a chew toy. I would not trade her for the world and I absolutely do not regret my decision to bring her into my life.
If you are a college student who thinks an emotional support animal or any pet could greatly improve your quality of life, there are a lot of things to consider. From vet bills and supply costs on a college budget to rushing back from class on a short time frame to feed your pet dinner, pets can be extra difficult to care for. However, if you can afford the time, energy, and costs a pet requires, your residence allows it, and you conducted the proper research on the animal you are considering adopting, you could be the one to give a loving, caring home to a little creature in need.