Study, pet, feed, repeat
Campuses are opening their doors to pets as dogs, cats help students beat stress and homesickness
In offices, they’ve been found to ease stress and reduce conflict. Dogs a helping calm nervous f ers at airports. They’ being roped in to comfo patients at hospitals aroun the world.
Now, Indian campuses a opening up to them too.
Students of the KJ Somai Institute of Management St ies and Research (SIMSR) Mumbai, St Xaviers’ College Ahmedabad and Symbiosi Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC) in Pune have begun adopting animals and, with the help of college administrations, are figuring out feeding and vaccination schedules, visits to the vet, even laying down rules about go and no-go areas — pets are allowed into hostels and canteens, for instance, but not into classrooms.
“This is a big change from colleges banning the feeding of pets on campus altogether. And one of the reasons for the change is that pets, especially certain breeds of dog, are great stressbusters,” says Shirin Merchant, canine behaviourist and trainer. “Research has shown that having dogs and cats around can help lower high blood pressure, and this calming effect is especially important as students juggle lectures, assignments and internships, prepare for exams, feel homesick. However, a support system is crucial, so that caring f or the pet does not become stressful in itself.” says Merchant.
FOR THE RUFF DAYS
While Xavier’s and Symbiosis have had structured pet-care programmes since 2017, Somaiya began to get organised last year.
Students here use a Whatsapp group to sync feeding routines, veterinary visits etc, and work with a local NGO to deworm,vaccinate and otherwise care for their cam pets. The group calls i Animal Welfare Ass tion of Somaiya (AWAS currently has 24 members.
This makes it easier, but as with all pets, there can be no days off or annual breaks —someone has to make sure the routine stays intact at all times. In fact, vacation time has proved to be so difficult that students have decidedtostay backinrotation to care for the campus pets.
This year, first-year MBA student Arthi Choudhary, 26, will spend her internship period in Mumbai, stay back and take care of the dogs, rather than going home. “After the Diwali vacation, we came back and the dogs were so ill and weak. We decided we had to do things differently from then on,” she says.
Still, after a day of back-toback lectures, MBA student Manish Bhatia, 27, just takes one look at the strays Bubbly, Max and Master, on his campus at SIMSR, and he feels relaxed. There are now 17 dogs and three cats on campus. “Bubbly is my favourite,” Bhatia says. “She is so playful and affectionate. When I’m tired or tense after a day of classes, playing with her makes me forget all my stress for a while.”
‘PAW’SITIVE VIBES
Symbiosis has gone so far as to titute a pet therprogramme, pting two adors – named r and Pound – at Pune campus. adors are family nd best for therapy,” rsity director Vidya Yer“students ar. dealing with motional insecurities, relaproblems tionship and stress benefit from pet therapy. We want to focus on the emotional well-being of our students too, and hence this initiative.”
Since Symbiosis is predominantly a management institute, the dogs are named after foreign currencies, Yeravdekar adds.
The students have adopted a few strays on campus too. With support from security and hostel staff, taking care of the animals is less stressful, says Khevna Pandit, 24, who is in her final year of an MA in journalism.
“Our stray pets are Goldie, Scar and Tag. And the faculty is comfortable with dogs being in class too,” says Pandit.
The same rules apply, though — no yapping.
having dogs and cats around can help lower high blood pressure, and this calming effect is especially important as students juggle lectures, assignments and internships, prepare for exams, feel homesick. SHIRIN MERCHANT, canine behaviourist and trainer