Living away from the dorms might be a new experience for some people. With more freedom, people might want to adopt a pet for company.
"We have a lot of Ball State students who come in and adopt, and we appreciate that," Julie Smith, of the Muncie Animal Shelter, said.
But an inexperienced pet owner can do the animal more harm than good.
Animals who are abandoned by those who adopted these pets can be tracked down because of a microchip put into the animal. Don't think anybody can leave Fido in some godforsaken alley and not be punished.
It sounds a little like science fiction, true. An invasion of privacy, maybe. But shelters have to make students and community members responsible for their actions.
We are not talking about inanimate objects. These are animals, and there are a lot of agencies whose sole purpose is to protect them from negligence.
Animal Rescue Fund founder Terri Panszi compared caring for a pet to caring for a baby. Although caring for a child is a much greater responsibility and requires more work, the point is still valid.
These are living creatures people should not take for granted.
"Often times they are living in apartments and adopt something that is larger than they think it is going to be," Smith said.
Shelter workers said landlords find animals all the time, either walking in or around apartment buildings. One even had a story about an abandoned dog that drank out of a toilet bowl and ate cigarette butts to survive in an abandoned apartment.
Another story included a cat drenched in gas and lit on fire.
Whether the pet owners are malicious or not, they should deal with the consequences and should be prosecuted. ARF has prosecuted students in the past for their lacking care.
What students need to think about when they are considering buying an animal is what is necessary to take care of the pet. They have to think if they really want a pet for the long haul, and if they want to take care of one, take it to the vet, buy it food, etc.
If students don't want to tolerate an animal for more than five minutes, then don't get one. The animal is not something that will change your life, but it will change you for the here and now.
People should not buy a cat or dog for a quick fix. If your life sucks, and you think an animal will bring some cheery disposition to your life, don't assume anything. Think it through because the cost might outweigh the temporary affection.
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