Pets

Pets are just like a baby…

UGA does everything it possibly can do to be a pet-friendly campus as well as Athens also being friendly to pets. There are so many available opportunities to bring your pet along in Athens and so many different activities to do with them. I promise, your pet will fall in love with Athens just like you have.

As far as the UGA dorms go, fish are allowed in all dorms but must be in a 20-gallon or less tank.  Emotional Support Animals, Service Animals, and Service Animals in training are allowed but must be approved by the Disability Resource Center and the Housing Assignments Office prior to moving in. Otherwise, pets are not allowed in the dorms.

For pet off-campus living, there are plenty of ways to check if your apartment, house, or townhome of choice is pet friendly, but if you have not signed a lease yet, I would suggest looking at places that are 100% pet friendly to ensure your furry friends are able to live with you. One way is to go to our Apartment Rentals blog and check out their websites. Some apartments listed on our Apartment Rental page include on-site dog parks as amenities and this is extremely important for your dog so that they have a place to run, interact with other animals, and be outside.

The website BringFido has a list of all of the different restaurants, hotels, activities, and events that are all pet free in Athens… this is a great resource to look at if you’d like to bring your pet when you come to visit your UGA student. There are apparently 66 pet and dog-friendly restaurants in Athens, but most of them are only welcoming to furry friends in the outdoor portion of the restaurant out of respect for other customers and the cleanliness of the restaurant. Hotels can have very strict animal policies, so make sure you check up on that before you book a place. I also recommend checking Airbnb because they tend to be more laid back than most hotels. Whether you need a pet sitter while you are away or at classes or you want to become a pet sitter, check out Rover.

One of the best ways to get involved with animals at UGA without having to fully commit and adopt one is through the Guide Dog Foundation. It is about a one-year commitment and you, the trainer, will be responsible for preparing that puppy to become a fully functioning service dog. If you do not feel like you are equipped to be a Puppy Raiser, UGA allows a “babysitter” option where you commit to caring for the dogs while their student goes out of town, needs to study for a test or just needs some time off. This is a great way to play with the puppy and get some well-needed snuggles, but also does not commit you to the full time raising.

Check out the FaceBook page for UGA’s branch of the Guide Dog Foundation. This is an amazing way for animal lovers to interact with dogs and maybe even commit to raising one. And, even if you do not get involved directly, I promise sitting next to a golden retriever puppy on the bus will make your day!

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