By: Cleo Bethel

A toy moose waits for its owner to come play with it.

 

At first glance one would assume that Bree Simmons-Yager is a typical college student. But as she walks through her apartment she steps over a pile of spread out newspaper, kicks a bone into the corner, and scoops up a chewed-up sneaker that you realize that she is not as ordinary as you may expect. In fact, Bree is responsible for another life—the life of her seven-month old puppy.

Bree’s dog, Remy, a Chiweenie, sits restlessly on her lap as she tries to find a comfortable position for the both of them on her torn-up white couch. Remy’s contrasting black fur is almost shiny enough to reflect the light from the nearby lamp. Bree’s hands stroke her furry friend, who is no bigger than the length of her forearm to calm Remy down as she explains her reasons for getting a dog.

She says that she spent last summer as an au pair in Spain traveling city to city, meeting locals, and discovering herself along the way. When she came back to Eugene for the fall term, she reveals that she felt a type of depression and loneliness when she returned, “I was really emotional when I got back from being abroad…I felt like I just needed something, so I decided to go to the Humane Society and as soon as I saw her I knew that she was what I was missing.” She explains that getting a dog is what allowed her to accept that she was no longer abroad and be present in her current life.

As a college student, Bree says that having a dog has taught her responsibility and accountability, “Just day-to-day life is more challenging. Fitting in time to walk her when I’m studying or at work,” Bree explains. When asked about the difficulties of finding pet-friendly places to live, she confessed that her landlord is unaware of Remy’s existence and that it has been complicated to keep her a secret.

Bree admits that being in college has a big impact on raising a dog, but insists that she would not change her mind even if she had the option, “My bank account would be a lot happier,” she jokes, “but …. the benefits definitely outweigh the costs.”

Next year, Bree found a place to live that accepts pets and says that she looks forward to figuring out a more consistent routine with her emotional-support dog. She acknowledges that although a lot of work, Remy is never a burden and she always looks forward to coming home. Above all, she believes her dog has improved her state of mind through her companionship and by simply keeping her busy.