This weekend we adopted Joe, a beautiful, affectionate, 3-year old dark
silver whose human is leaving for college.  The girl's parents didn't want
to take care of him while she was gone.
 
Permanence is not an attribute of college housing, on or off campus.
College kids move often, and usually have to base their decisions on cost
and availability.  This adds up to a bad deal for a lot of animals.  The
kitten, puppy, iguana, hedgehog, sugar glider, ferret, or whatever is
suddenly a burden when the new place won't allow them.  Too many of these
animals end up being gassed at the pound, and a lot of others get dumped
on the street.
 
In the same way that most people shouldn't get married unless they're ready
to settle down and be committed, people shouldn't acquire pet commitments
until they're sure of their ability to provide LONG term care and love.
The hard truth is that children, including teenagers, can't offer that.  If
a 12-year old gets a baby ferret, just as that animal is entering old age,
the kid is leaving home for college and can't readily take care of such a
commitment.  If the kid's parents don't want to deal with the animal, then
what?  In my family's case, as the 'consenting adult,' I've authorized my
daughter's various pet acquisitions knowing that they are in the long run
MY responsibility.  (That doesn't mean she doesn't clean their cages!)
 
I hope that the teenagers who read the FML will recognize their natural,
normal limitations on maintaining commitments to animals during their
college years, and will 'just say no to pets,' understanding that they
can make up for lost time later on when their lives are settling down by
adopting and loving animals that need homes.
 
If you're a kid who has a ferret, I'd like to encourage you to work NOW,
well ahead of time, with your family to make sure your animal will be loved
and cared for when you're not there to do it.
[Posted in FML issue 2670]