Many students choose to bring their pets from home into the residence halls, although the UB's "Guide to Residence Hall Living" explicitly prohibits them from doing so. Owners of these fluffy fugitives spend the year dodging resident advisors and keeping their illegal guests from being discovered.
"Pets are not allowed in the residence halls. This is in accordance with safety and health rules and for the welfare of the pets," states Appendix A, section 1.85 of the 2002-03 guide. "Specifically prohibited are cats, dogs, ferrets, rabbits, monkeys, snakes, etc. Animals trained to assist people with disabilities are permitted for that purpose in the residence halls."
Fish, in tanks with a capacity of less than 10 gallons, are allowed in the residence halls.
Joseph Krakowiak, director of residence halls and apartments, said the rule is in place due to "health factors and the welfare of the pet."
"Give a pet what it is due," Krakowiak said. "This is a common sense kind of rule."
"On-campus, it's acceptable that the university sets a no-pets policy, especially since it's not only a concern of comfort, but the pet's presence stays around longer than the individual who had the pet," Grant said.
Several UB students, however, have broken Appendix A in the name of freedom for their companions.
Suzanne Baeringer, a senior business major who lives in the on-campus apartments, said she is aware of students who have pets in the on-campus apartments. She said she had a friend in Southlake Village whose cat was discovered by university officials last year.
"He was upset, but also relieved," Baeringer said. "It must be hard to take care of them, especially in the apartments. It's like having a baby there. You have to feed it and stuff."
Adam Carney, a senior who now lives off campus, had a cat in the Hadley apartments last year.
"We got a notice of an alleged cat," Carney said. "We had to get rid of it then."
Carney said one of his roommates sent the cat to live with his parents, where it now resides happily.
Mercedes Cepeda, an interdisciplinary degree social science major and a RA in Richmond Quad in the Ellicott complex, said that statistically, pets in the dorms are not a big problem.
"There might be one a year for the whole building," Cepeda said. "Hamsters are what is mostly found."
Jennifer Jones, a senior, lived down the hall from a student who kept two hamsters in his room during her sophomore year.
"The RA might have known, but he didn't say anything," Jones said. "I would want a cat if it was allowed."
Repercussions of being caught with an illegal pet range from a warning to a dismissal from the residence halls. According to Krakowiak, the punishment "depends on the severity," such as if a pet damages apartment furniture.
Krakowiak said there have not been any dismissals from the residence halls in the past five years as a result of students being caught with a pet.
"Most students are just warned or charged for the damage," he said.
Krakowiak also cited concerns about student allergies to "pet dander" as another reason for the no pets policy.
Robert Santos, a sophomore media study major, said that although it is not humane to have a pet in the residence halls, the apartments should have a different policy.
"I think (pets) should be allowed in the apartments," Santos said. "As long as your roommates are not allergic, you should be able to have a pet. Some breeds are more prone to dander than others, so you have options."
Ron Douglas, a senior digital arts major, agrees.
In an off-campus world not bound by Appendix A, boundaries are more unpredictable when it comes to having a pet.
Some landlords allow all kinds of pets with no questions asked. Others state clearly in lease agreements that pets are not allowed. Many students who are not allowed pets simply hide the pets from the landlord.
Abbey Walker, a junior living in University Heights, has a cat of which her landlord is unaware. Though she never signed a lease, he has made it verbally clear that any pets would be against his rules. When he comes to the house, Walker and her roommate hide all the evidence.
"(The cat's) litter box (is) in the shower, food and litter in the drawers," said Walker.
While some landlords make it clear that pets are not allowed, others allow pets for an additional security deposit.
Elizabeth Curry, a junior communication major, had to pay another deposit for pets living with her and her roommate. Curry and her roommate each have kittens they adopted before they moved into their new residence.
"The lease said 'no pets,' but we brought them anyways," said Curry.
Eventually, the landlord did find out about the kittens and charged another $250 per cat, Curry said.
Grant said that having a pet off campus has been worth the responsibility.
"I think that as long as pets enrich life, especially for students who don't have family, it's important to have that companionship," she said.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
