Pennsylvania Gets Its First Ever Pet-Friendly Campus

Angela Vuckovic
by Angela Vuckovic
Lock Haven University in Clinton County announced that they’ll allow pets in their residence hall and became the first college in Pennsylvania to offer this pawesome perk.


Starting college is an exciting time, but it can be quite stressful, as well. Not only that you’re leaving your old life and friends behind, but you’re also forced to part with your beloved pet while you pursue your studies. However, if you happen to study at the Lock Haven University in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, you’ll be one of the lucky ones who get to share their academic adventure with a pet.


By allowing their students to live with a pet in the university’s residence hall, Lock Haven became the first pet-friendly college in Pennsylvania. Of course, in order to make sure that everyone’s happy, both the two-legged and four-legged attendees, the university has put down some ground rules. First, to be eligible for the program, your animal companion must be what they dubbed a “long-term pet,” which means the pet was in your family for at least 3 months. Additionally, the pet has to be older than 6 months to live with you- no babies allowed on the premises!


As for the type of pets Lock Haven University allows, the list is very strict. Pets welcomed to the college are cats, dogs under 40 pounds (and not all breeds), rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, and fish. To make sure you’ll be able to snatch that pet residency, you’ll also have to have your pet spayed or neutered and current on all of their vaccinations.


The reason for this great move lies in the university’s desire to improve the success rates of their students. In the words of Lock Haven President, Robert Pignatello, their belief is that having their pet live with them will enhance the residential experience for students. In turn, content, happy students get better grades and focus more on their studies. It seems that there isn’t a thing in the world that pets can’t make that much more pawesome!

Angela Vuckovic
Angela Vuckovic

A proud mama to seven dogs and ten cats, Angela spends her days writing for her fellow pet parents and pampering her furballs, all of whom are rescues. When she's not gushing over her adorable cats or playing with her dogs, she can be found curled up with a good fantasy book.

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