To see a slideshow of the dog park, click here.Business junior Chris Sasser said he schedules all his activities around his girl, Sam.He’s not talking about his girlfriend.
Sam is a feisty 1-year-old boxer pup. Sasser’s real girlfriend sat next to him Friday at Raising Cane’s Dog Park on Dalrymple Drive as they watched Sam tear through the dog playground.
The large amount of students with dogs at the dog park or near the lakes in good weather is evidence they are keeping dogs despite the slow economy.
There are 74.8 million owned dogs in the U.S., and owners spend an average of $219 annually on veterinary visits alone, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association’s 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey.
According to the East Baton Rouge Parish Animal Control and Rescue Center, more than 73,000 dogs and cats were vaccinated and registered with the center this year — an increase of 1,700 from 2008 and 4,450 from 2007.
Hilton Cole, EBR Animal Control director, said about 34 to 36 percent of animals in East Baton Rouge are licensed and vaccinated.
ADOPTABLE DOGSJessica Bates, textiles, apparel and merchandising senior, volunteers at the control center and said about 25 percent of dog adopters at the shelter are students. Though August is usually the slowest month of the year because of back-to-school budgets, she said adoption rates have been at record highs — 21 dogs were adopted in one week this month.
She said the increase in adoptions is likely because of her own project at the center — posting the animals’ profiles and pictures to Petfinder.com.She said more than 100 dogs are currently at the shelter, but only 42 are up for adoption because of the 42-kennel capacity at the center.
“They don’t all get put to sleep after the six days,” she said. “The adoption rates are so good lately … that they’re being [adopted].”
BENEFITS OF OWNERSHIPA survey last year from The Ohio State University showed college students benefit from owning cats or dogs. Nearly 25 percent of students surveyed said pets eased their stress. Students with at least one dog or cat reported feeling lonely and depressed less often in the survey.
Siang Hong, former LSU kinesiology associate professor, said besides the social interaction and companionship of owning a pet, factors like increased physical activity, having a routine and reduced stress expressly benefit college students.
Bates said students often come to the shelter for a dog because they grew up with them at home and miss the pets when they make the move to college. She said some students come with their parents to adopt a dog.
“If it’s a female living by herself, they want the daughter to have protection,” she said. “It’s not about the size of the dog … just the fact that there is a dog surprises [burglars] and deters them.”
Bates said a dog gives students a companion and inspires them to exercise and avoid the “freshman 15.”
Laura Crosswell, mass communication graduate student, said her 4-year-old beagle Jack Russell terrier mix, Masom, travels everywhere with her.
I’m by myself, so it’s a companion, and I feel safer,” she said. “But at the same time … It’s annoying. I do all my work at home and never get enough done … because I come [to the dog park] instead.”
RESPONSIBILITY OF OWNERSHIPBates said volunteers at the center help students determine the right breed for dealing with separation during the day and living in small quarters.
“A lot of people live in apartments and need to understand that dogs need to be exercised,” she said.
She said her own dog is a 10-pound, 3-year-old pug and shih tzu mix named Dave. She said Dave doesn’t require much walking as a small dog, and he can travel almost anywhere with her.
“I love my dog,” she said. “Sometimes I’ve taken him to class before … stick him in my purse and go,” Bates said.
Bates said students need to be sure they can handle the responsibility of caring for a pet before they invest in a dog.
Sam is kennel-trained, but Sasser said he’s had to replace three sets of blinds already. He said owning a dog has made him more responsible.
Blake Ross, marketing senior, said he pays expensive vet bills and spends $50 a month on dog food for his 1-year-old German shepherd, Garth.
Bates said one way to reduce the pressure of owning a dog is to have it neutered or spayed and to request an adult or “house-broken” dog when adopting.
LSU Police Department Major Helen Haire said the University does not experience many problems with stray dogs or law-breaking pet owners, regardless of an increase in pets. Regulations for EBR dog ownership include keeping the dog on a leash when walking and confining it to a house, fenced yard or leash at home.
Many apartment complexes near campus don’t allow pets, including Burbank Commons, University Crescent, University Crossings and on-campus housing. Other complexes, like The Venue, Campus Crossings on Brightside, Oakbrook and Burbank Estates, allow pets but impose weight limits, fees and deposits. Gary Parks, property service coordinator for Burbank Estates Condominium Association said about 10 of the 64 units at Burbank Estates house dogs.
DOGS IN NEEDMore than 6,500 dogs were impounded in 2008, according to the control center. Last year 779 impounded dogs were redeemed by their owners, 731 were adopted and 5,046 were euthanized. Of those, 1,882 were healthy, and 3,164 were unhealthy or non-adoptable.
Bates said two dogs, brothers named Zippy and Zeus, have been at the shelter for more than a year.
She said both dogs are featured on a Web site for “hard cases” set up by a shelter affiliate, Rescuesocks.com. She said the dogs will be featured at a special price, $50, for September.
Bates said students qualify for services offered to low-income pet owners around the city like Spay Baton Rouge and Fix A Feline.—-Contact Sarah Lawson at [email protected]