Emotional support pets around campus
Casey Mikell – Photographer
Around campus, there have been a bit more animals popping up in certain dorms. These are emotional support animals, and these are just a couple I was able to get up close and personal with.
This is Pookie. He belongs to Sarah Wetherbie. She is a sophomore Digital Media major and she has had an emotional support animal for roughly 3 years.
Sarah has an emotional support animal because when she is stressed out and feeling overwhelmed, her emotional support animal helps to calm her down faster than anything else. After having him, she can tell a difference in how she was able to handle stress.
A helpful tip that Sarah has for fellow students is if your suitemate, roommate or someone you know has an emotional support animal, find a way to interact with them instead of leaving them be. The animal needs attention when their owner is not there, so finding a way to interact with them could help everyone.
This is Skeeters. He belongs to Michaela Childs, a freshman Interdisciplinary Major with elementary education and worship arts as her components.
Michaela has an emotional support animal because she suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. Having Skeeter around helps her to calm down. He is her safe place.
A helpful tip that Michaela has for fellow students is if you do not understand why someone has an emotional support animal, ask them. Everyone’s reason is different. In Michaela’s situation, her body does not respond well to medication, so having Skeeter around is her medication.
If you feel that you need an emotional support animal, talk to a counselor to receive professional help. Not all people need an emotional support animal. Help us to break the stigma around emotional support animals, because these students do not just want their pets here, they need them to get through each day.
