When it comes to the famous battle between which is superior–cats or dogs–FSU students don’t hold back their opinions.
“Dogs have that wet dog smell,” cat lover Kristy Penne, sophomore in psychology, said. “Cats don’t jump on you, don’t bark, and they are more cuddly. And you have to let dogs out to go to the bathroom.”
Dog lover Mallory Bohl, first-year FSU nursing student, begs to differ.
“Cats are sneaky and they walk in their kitty litter box and then jump on your tables. They know if you don’t like them and I feel like they’re plotting against me. But dogs will be your best friend. They are always there for you, and my dog is my right hand lady,” Bohl said.
But for those involved with the registered student organization Petsavers, both feline and canine alike are precious and worth saving.
Founded by FSU professor of music Cate Arroe, Petsavers aims to give abandoned animals in Big Rapids homes as opposed to a grim future at the shelter. Arroe and her team of FSU students use fundraising to help pay for the vet bills and food of these abandoned animals, offering them foster care while searching for permanent homes.
“I kept hearing horror stories of Ferris students just leaving their animals in the apartments, throwing them out windows or bringing them to the shelter when they didn’t want to take care of them anymore,” Arroe said.
What few people know is the Mecosta county animal shelter isn’t necessarily a permanent safe haven for these animals. First, only dogs are accepted.That leaves many homeless cats roaming the streets. But the outcome for dogs at the shelter isn’t much better.
Thanks to recent change through a petition promoted by Petsavers, euthanasia by standard injection will soon be the practice at the shelter. However, gas chambers were previously the practice, a drawn out and unpleasant process for the animals. Another even greater problem Arroe stressed is the fate of animals who aren’t euthanized.
“Many of the dogs are sold to class B dealers. These dealers in turn sell them to places for animal research. A dog has one week to be adopted and if they aren’t they are carted off in a truck and all kinds of terrible things can happen to them. I would rather they be humanely euthanized so they don’t have to suffer,” Arroe said.
Stephanie Dalman, FSU public relations junior and Petsavers member, was moved to join when she rescued an abandoned kitten a Ferris student’s cat had.
“I’m all about animal rights. I hate when animals have to be in the shelter and I wanted to be a part of something that I cared about and helped prevent homelessness in animals,” Dalman said.
Dalman said her cat was a perfect example of the irresponsibility students often exhibit.
“There are so many cats put down each year because people don’t fix them or they roam free and it’s so sad. For people interested in joining we do a lot of great things to help animals and you don’t even have to be an animal lover. Its doing the right thing and helping the community too,” said Dalman
For more information, contact Arroe at arroec@nullferris.edu