Kaiser, a Northwestern fraternity’s former pet dog, once spent an entire afternoon last year in the McCulloch Hall lounge in defiance of Undergraduate Residential Life regulations.
Four students used Kaiser for an engineering project. Although the test included taking Kaiser for a brief walk, it also meant the dog had to spend about five hours trying on dog shoes the students were designing for class. Members of the fraternity, which members requested remain anonymous, agreed without hesitation to hand over Kaiser as the class’ test subject.
Pets such as Kaiser — including a rabbit, a bird and a fish — have stayed in this same fraternity house during the last few years. However today visitors will only find fish. Residents have given up on caring for more demanding animals.
“Most people have not been responsible about it, because caring for an animal besides fish means more than just feeding and watering it,” said the fraternity’s current president, who also asked to remain anonymous. “There are no longer any pets here because we learned a lesson.”
Although the policy for pets in fraternity and sorority houses depends on the approval of the Alumni House Corporation, students living in residence halls only can keep fish as pets. The housing contract that students must sign to live in the dorms, reads “No pets or animals of any kind are permitted in the residence halls at any time for any reason.”
Mary Goldenberg, senior associate director of Residential Life, said the policy exists because of health concerns and possible property damage. Though some students said they disagree with this policy, others said they understand why the rule is in place.
“I would fear for my pet’s health in the dorm,” said Matt Ratner, a Communication sophomore. “It’s a legitimate policy.”
Chris Irwin of Evanston Animal Shelter’s Community Animal Rescue Effort, a volunteer group that provides medical treatment and adoption services for stray animals, said he also worries about dorm residents having pets. The rescue group’s policy does not allow NU students to adopt pets.
“Students don’t realize the commitment of having a pet,” said Irwin, the group’s medical director of felines. “They need to be more realistic and think about the long term. There are exceptions, but more often than not students will just leave animals behind when they return home.”
Administrators and medical experts said they also are concerned about student health, especially allergies.
“People with pet-dander allergies, the most common pet allergy, can have symptoms ranging from just itchy eyes and mild nasal congestion to full-blown asthma attacks,” said Joanne Connolly, acting director of Searle Student Health Service.
These problems are especially hard to prevent because dander is difficult to control.
“(Dander) floats in the air, gets stuck on soft surfaces and can then easily pass from room to room,” Connolly said, also mentioning that animals are difficult to keep clean, have accidents and damage possessions.
Eveline Shue, the Senior Resident Assistant in Sargent Hall, said she agrees with Connolly.
“We have no idea who in the hall could be affected by the presence of pets,” Shue said. “The policy maintains everyone’s health.”
Not only can pets create unsanitary environments and cause student illness, their presence in dorms also could threaten the comfort level of students in their own homes.
“A dorm’s major policy is to respect everyone’s space,” said Aamir Jariwala, a Bobb Hall RA. “Having a pet violates this and causes issues with at least the hallway, if not the entire dorm.”
Sometimes even a fish can pose comfort problems.
Rebecca Zazove, a Weinberg sophomore, was the proud owner of a goldfish that lived in her 1835 Hinman dorm room. The fish was meant for her whole suite, but excitement over the pet wore off and Zazove soon became the fish’s sole caretaker.
Before long a foul odor penetrated the hall and Zazove’s friends began to complain. The suitemates would not tolerate the fish any longer and Zazove had no choice but to make her boyfriend flush her finned friend down the toilet.
The consensus among administrators, health officials, animal right advocates and even students seems to be that the existence of pets in university residential housing is a bad idea.
“Northwestern’s policy may not be fair,” said the president of the fraternity where Kaiser was kept. “We’re all old enough that we should be allowed to have a pet if we so desire, but (the rule against pets) reflects the experience and the fact that we are students.”
