Staff Writer- August von Seth
Anna Brandt
Starting next academic year in the Fall, select Gustavus students will have the right to bring their pets to a designated residence hall. The pilot program, which was announced in Jan., will be restricted to returning students in their second, third, or fourth year of college. As stated in a community-wide email from college president John Volin, participants will only be allowed one cat or one dog, and the number of eligible rooms is capped at 15, all of which will be in the Prairie View residential building.
Having taken office last year, Volin is set to be formally inaugurated on April 16th. He is the owner of a dog named Sofia, which regularly makes appearances on campus. Vice Provost for Student Life and Dean of Students Charlie Potts identified the policy change as part of the president’s pet-friendly reform agenda.
“As we think about creative ways to improve the student experience and increase satisfaction, this idea came up as a pilot project to see if it works. The plan is to let a small number of students have a pet in a residence hall and observe how it goes,” Potts said.
In order to sign up for the program, students have to fulfill a number of requirements. Among them are: verification of ownership for the past six months, veterinary records, the submission of a “pet profile” including a picture of the animal, and the listing of a caretaker who can temporarily look after the cat or dog residing within a 350-mile radius.
“The idea is to ensure that the student already knows the animal well, which should make the adjustment to living on campus easier,” Potts said.
Potts cited the difficulty in balancing student needs as a possible reason why other colleges in Minnesota so far have refrained from adopting similar policies.
“It’s not guaranteed to be easy. Not everyone likes animals, and they can be messy. That’s why we’re starting small. Emotional support animals have been allowed for a long time, of course, but this is our first true pet‑friendly pilot project. I can’t speak for other schools,” Potts said.
While all on-campus pets will have to have been vaccinated comprehensively, be covered by flea and tick prevention, be spayed or neutered, and wear an identifier at all times. Regulations are expected to differ in multiple respects depending on whether the animal in question is a cat or a dog.
According to a fact sheet published on the college website, cats will have to be litter-trained and “indoor-only.” For them to be accepted into the program, they cannot be less than a year old. Dogs are subject to a weight limit of 40lbs and are expected to be “housebroken and well-behaved.” The owner has to prove a history of non-aggression.
“We also plan to have a fenced‑in area near Prairie View where people can take their dogs outside. We know many people like animals, but many don’t, so we want to be mindful of everyone in the community,” Potts said.
Certain aspects of the chosen residence hall made it particularly suitable as a ‘testing ground’ for the program. For one, it is made up of single-occupancy rooms. For another, the floor is made up of tiles rather than wall-to-wall carpeting—a factor which makes it significantly easier to clean up shedded dog hair, for example. The presence of all-encompassing air conditioning was also beneficial.
According to Potts, Facilities is currently considering the logistical viability of day-to-day pet care, such as washing off primarily dogs, “in a utility room.” He noted, however, that cats can pose a challenge in their own ways.
“We’ve had emotional support cats before, including some in heat who howl or screech. It’s not common, but it happens. There will be a collegiate fellow in the building and clear behavioral expectations. If there are significant disruptions, they’ll be handled like other noise policy issues,” Potts said.
“It will be interesting to see whether students feel their academic experience improves because of this,” Potts said. “The hope is that their overall experience will be better, which should help them thrive academically.”
Vice President for Enrollment Management Kim Frisch viewed the pet-friendly policy as a way to strengthen Gustavus’s appeal to “a small segment” of prospective students.
“This isn’t meant to be a universal draw or a defining feature of Gustavus, but it does matter to a specific group of students who think about wellbeing and feeling at home when choosing a college. Having the option to live on campus with a pet can be meaningful for them,” Frisch wrote.
Any cats or dogs brought to campus under the program will have their mobility restricted to their respective dorm room, Prairie View hallways, and outdoor areas. They will not be allowed access to academic buildings, the library, or dining locations.
First-year student Graham Cholakis is currently living with an emotional support animal, a cat named Rocketman. He is considering applying to the program.
“Before this pet‑friendly option, I had to keep my cat in my room because people have allergies,” Cholakis remarked.
“ I thought the idea was cool. I personally couldn’t do it because my eighteen‑year‑old dog couldn’t come on campus, but I think it’s great that other people will have the opportunity if they choose,” Sophomore Mary Colberg added.
As noted by CBS News, Gustavus Adolphus College is the only residential college in Minnesota to have set in motion plans to open up segments of the campus to pets that are not either service animals or there for emotional support. Faculty at Minnesota State University, Macalester College, and St. Olaf College confirmed to The Weekly that they do not currently have similar plans. All declined to comment on the factors underpinning their stances.
Applications for pet-friendly housing in Prairie View open on Feb. 14th and are due on March 1st.