Are you a pet lover dreaming of bringing your furry, scaled, or shelled friend to college? At Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO), your dream can become a reality! Through the SEMO Pet-Friendly Community, students can apply to live with their approved pets right in their residence hall. Located in Towers South on Floors 3 and 4, this unique community welcomes pets that meet specific guidelines, allowing you to enjoy the companionship of your animal while pursuing your education. Please note that pets are not permitted on campus during the summer semester.
Understanding Approved Pets at SEMO
Before you pack your pet’s bags, it’s important to understand which animals are welcome in the pet-friendly community. To ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all residents, SEMO Residence Life requires prior approval and has established size and type restrictions. Only one pet per resident is permitted. The following categories of pets are considered for on-campus residence:
- Indoor Domestic Cats: Your feline friend must be under 40 lbs to be eligible.
- Domestic Dogs: Dogs are welcome as long as they are under 50 lbs.
- Small, Caged Animals: For students who prefer smaller companions, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, and similar small caged animals are allowed. Cage sizes should be approximately 30″ x 12″ x 12″ or smaller to fit comfortably in residence hall rooms.
- Turtles, Hermit Crabs, Lizards, and Reptiles: If you have a reptile or amphibian, they are welcome as long as their habitat is a 29-gallon aquarium or smaller.
Navigating the Application and Documentation for Your SEMO Pet
To bring your pet to the SEMO pet-friendly community, you’ll need to complete the Animal Registration Request form, found within your housing contract. This form must be submitted to the Office of Residence Life annually or for each new housing contract period. It’s crucial to plan ahead, as no new animals will be allowed into the community or approved after the first two weeks of each semester. Make sure to review the Pet-Friendly Community Procedures for complete details.
Fees for SEMO Pets: Registration and Cleaning
To support the pet-friendly community, a non-refundable registration/cleaning fee is applied to the student’s account. This fee is paid along with the move-in semester housing costs annually and helps maintain the cleanliness and special provisions of the pet-friendly living areas.
- Cats and Dogs: The registration/cleaning fee for cats and dogs is $100.
- Other Small Animals: For other approved small animals, the fee is $50.
Arrival and Guidelines for SEMO Pets on Campus
It’s essential to wait for official approval before bringing your pet to campus. Once approved, plan to arrive with your pet during the first two weeks of each semester. Pets arriving after this period will need to wait until the following semester to move in. To ensure a respectful and compliant community, Semo Pets are expected to remain in your assigned room. Pets are not allowed in other areas on campus, including other students’ rooms, residential common areas like lounges, classrooms, academic and administrative buildings, libraries, dining locations, the Student Recreation Center, or fountains. Of course, you are permitted to take your animal off-campus for essential needs such as visits to the veterinarian, groomer appointments, training sessions, and outdoor exercise.
Bringing an unapproved animal to campus will result in the denial of your application. Similarly, having more than one animal will require you to remove the additional pet and may jeopardize your continued participation in the pet community. For any questions or further clarification, please contact the Office of Residence Life directly at [email protected]. Embrace the opportunity to live with your SEMO pet and make the most of this unique campus experience!
