Opinion | Finding remedy in a furry friend
Olivia Harden
Opinions Editor
As I reach for my keyboard, a ball of fluff barrels toward my room. A brave leap gives Sparky the lift he needs to make it two and a half feet off the ground and onto my bed. He struts over to his favorite pillow on my left side, curls up next to me and paws at my hand, distracting me from getting any work done.
Moments like this have become a regular occurrence since my 17-year-old Maltese-Shih Tzu from home moved in with me this summer. My family adopted Sparky when he was a handsome 9 years old, on death row at our local animal shelter. A spontaneous decision by my mother to turn the car around to adopt Sparky, a dog whose euthanization had been delayed more than once, allowed us to bring him home.
Having Sparky here with me locally has been different than I expected. It’s a lot of responsibility to take care of him every day, but ultimately, having him here has been a godsend. My dog provides me with a lot of emotional support. In just the last few months, I’ve noticed how much happier he has made my college life.
My family rescued Sparky, a 17-year-old Maltese-shih tzu, who was on death row at the animal shelter when he was 9.
Emotional support animals are becoming more prevalent among college students, which makes sense. Even at Chapman, anxiety is the most common reason students visit the on-campus counseling center, Director of the Student Psychological Counseling Services Jeanne Walker told The Panther last December.
A pet provides unconditional love. Think about that in the context of people who suffer from mental illness. For the last two and a half years, I have sought out therapy, prescription medications and other resources to help control my anxiety. Having Sparky around for the last three months really has helped, in combination with all my other practices. It’s so comforting to have a friendly furry face to come home to.
While the data surrounding emotional support animals has had unclear results, to me, having an emotional support animal is like any other prescription or form of therapy: It’s not going to be effective for everyone.
One of the biggest benefits I’ve noticed is the responsibility Sparky gives me. We’ve all had days when it feels impossible to get out of bed, but it’s different with anxiety and depression. It almost feels like I’m too heavy for the world to carry. But having Sparky with me means it doesn’t matter how bad I feel. I have to get up, feed him and let him out. Most of the time, once I’m up, I feel much more able to tackle the day.
If you’re considering an emotional support animal, I would recommend talking to your primary doctor, therapist or psychiatrist. If you live on campus, reach out to disability services. I didn’t realize the lasting effects bringing my dog from home to school would have, but at night, when we’re curled up together while I’m working on projects, it seems like everything might be OK.