In addition to the cost of providing for an animal, an extensive time commitment is involved. A student with six classes per day, followed by dinner and three hours in the library, may not be the ideal pet owner. Pets need attention, affection and exercise. Often the answer is no. In some cases, a student will care for a pet from the beginning of fall semester through the end of spring semester, but can't care for it during the summer.
Cats can live nearly twice that long.
And if you think that a parrot might be an interesting addition to your apartment, think again. Many owners who abandon pets also fail to spay or neuter their animals, so the six cats deserted at the beginning of the summer may reproduce into 25 by the fall. This leads to millions of unwanted or abandoned pets being put to death each year. If you don't want pet care responsibilities of your own, but would like to spend time with and care for animals, volunteerism is the best option. You can volunteer at a veterinary hospital, the PPP or the Humane Society.