Owning a pet is a big responsibility. It’s a cliché most of us have heard, but unfortunately, it falls on deaf ears. This is the case for many college-aged pet owners who find themselves overwhelmed and financially strained after the honeymoon phase of having a pet. 
It has become a problem in college towns. Shelters located near universities notice an annual spike in surrendered animals at the end of the school year. 
In Radford, Virginia, animal shelters require students to get permission from their parents and landlords in an effort to slow this trend. Most surrendered pets do not have a happy ending; statistics by the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy show that 71 percent of cats and 56 percent of dogs surrendered to animal shelters are euthanized. Pet ownership is great, but only if the pet owner thoroughly considers all of the pros and cons of caring for an animal. 
A 2013 study conducted by the American Humane Association found the most common reason for abandoning a pet was living in housing that did not allow them. This is reflected in the amount of ads for rehoming pets on the University’s Facebook pages that cite moving to a no-pet housing complex as their reason for giving up their pet. College students move frequently before and after graduation, and limiting one’s search to pet friendly housing may not always be an option. These temporary living arrangements are not compatible with the long commitment of having a dog or cat. Owners with permanent housing are best for pets. It minimizes their chances of being abandoned, and can save owners a lot of inconveniences when it’s time to move.  
Owning a pet is a large expense for the average college student. The ASPCA estimates the total first year cost of owning a pet to be $1,270 for a dog and $1,070 for a cat. The following years aren’t much better with annual expenses lowering to only $695 for dogs and $705 for cats. Medical emergencies can more than double this estimate. For college students, these costs can be compounded with kennel fees for the holidays, or fines incurred when pets damage expensive rental furniture.
Luckily for college animal lovers, there is a way to avoid most of these difficulties without foregoing the joys of animal companionship. Fostering is a great way to help out local animal shelters and experience the fun part of pet ownership without the long term commitment. For students 21 years or older, Friends of the Animals Baton Rouge is always in need of foster families. Cat Haven is a great option for college students under 21 who are on a tight budget. They provide the food and litter in addition to veterinary services. Fostering is just as vital to an animal shelter as adopting. It frees space at the adoption center, which gives the shelter a chance to take in more animals and relieve some of the workers’ burdens in caring for so many animals. It also gives an animal a chance to get acclimated to living in a home and receiving the one-on-one attention so many crave while in shelters.
When considering the purchasing or adoption of a pet, it is paramount that prospective owners remember this is a living creature who will be entirely dependent on them and the relationship may last for almost twenty years. Too many lives are cut short in animal shelters every day because someone failed to respect the gravity of this responsibility. Before getting a pet, please thoroughly research what it will entail. It could prevent a heartbreaking end for both the human and animal. 
Osie Evans is a 20-year-old English junior from Natchitoches, Louisiana.