Chelsea Hoag, Campus Carrier Managing Editor

Residence Life is close to choosing all of the students who applied to pet friendly housing in Poland Hall next academic year. 

There are three male spaces, not including the resident assistant, and six female spaces. Each room is only allowed one pet and the pet is expected to stay in its owner’s room throughout the day. In order to guarantee each pet receives the attention it needs, Lindsey Taylor assistant dean of students for residence life said the application form asked applicants to fill out their expected schedules, extra curricular and work commitments. 

Taylor said Residence Life selected Poland because it’s a smaller dorm equipped with hardwood floors and will be easier to clean compared to carpet. The location of Poland allows the animals to have room and has multiple exists. 

As far as complaints of any of the animals behaving badly, Taylor said pets would be treated just as unruly guests in the situation. 

Top:Photo submitted by J Camarena; Bottom:Photo submitted by Taylor Ratliff Top: Sophomore J Camarena rescued his dog in March and will be living in Poland Hall next year.  Students are approved to live in Poland will have the opportunity to live with their pets. Bottom:Freshman Taylor Ratliff and her dog Lacy will live in Poland Hall next year.

“If the pet is causing damage, is aggressive or out of control, we are going to ask the student to remove their pet,” Taylor said. “The resident can stay, but he or she will be leaving without a pet.” 

Students who applied to live in Poland didn’t have to send any pictures or let Residence Life meet their pets before they decided whether or not to accept or deny applications. 

“I have to be honest with you, with a pilot version of something, you have to take some risks,” Taylor said. “We are going off of paper. There is a lot of trust on the student and having to take care of the pet. We’ve asked for a description and length of time of ownership.” 

Taylor said if the first year of Poland is successful, Residence Life might expand pet friendly living to other residences. 

“We’d never go campus wide however because students do have allergies. If we expand, we’ll implement more checks and balances,” Taylor said. 

When accepting applications, Taylor said medical needs are top priority at Poland. 

Freshman Taylor Ratliff lives in West Mary and trained dogs at the Georgia Dog Gym in Rome. She will live in Poland with her service dog, Lacy, for her own medical needs. 

“Lacy is very in tune to my mood and a friend more than a pet. She is such a comfort,” Ratliff said. 

Ratliff’s last service dog, Twix, passed away earlier this year, but she is still excited to live with Lacy next academic year when they can run, hike and go out with friends together. 

“All through high school I had Twix by my side and now with the transition to college, I need a dog more than ever,” Ratliff said. 

“Living in Poland with people and pets will be interesting. I know we will all have to have a close community in order to take care of pet-related issues that will arise, but I think as long as everyone is respectful and gracious it should be a wonderful experience.” 

Sophomore J Camarena rescued a Siberian retriever recently with his girlfriend and named it Kili after one of the dwarfs from the Hobbit. Kili was abandoned as a small puppy and taken care of by a family that could no longer handle the responsibility. 

Camarena said he is concerned with how Kili might interact with other pets living in Poland, but will be attending the Georgia Dog Gym in Rome this summer to teach him how to behave. 

“I’m most excited about getting to raise Kili with me at Berry. It’s definitely a unique opportunity I feel will help me become more responsible and dependable,” Camarena said. “As I teach him, I have no doubt he will teach me a few things as well.” 

Junior Hannah Winterbauer said she would have applied to housing in Poland but feels it’s not fair to any of the larger animals to keep them “trapped in a room for most of the day” without regular walks. Her dog is also considered an “aggressive breed” according to the application form.

Pitbulls, Rottweilers and wolf breeds will not be permitted in Poland. Pets in Poland will be required to have all veterinarian-recommended vaccinations, and students will be required to provide proof of vaccination.