BY TRENT MATTINGLY, STAFF WRITER
Everyone knows Bellarmine University’s residence halls are home to hundreds of students, but do they know they are also home to dozens of animals? Pets are an important part of life for many people so it is no surprise to find fur, fins and scales at a university too. Here is a look at some of the most interesting pets to be found on campus.
Junior Brandon Taylor is the proud owner of dozens of fish. However, his favorite is an angelfish named Marty.
“Marty is the biggest one I have and is easily the alpha male,” Taylor said. “I have had him for about four months now. He and my other fish are pretty relaxing pets to own. They are quiet and even go to sleep near the bottom of their tank at night when I turn off the light.”
Taylor also said his fish are pretty low maintenance, but sensitive.
“You have to be very careful because you may not have to do much with them, but if you forget for one day they could all die,” he said.
International student Ramesh Almogren has two hamsters named Charley and Prince, and Almogren has owned them for just a few weeks. Interestingly, Charley is pregnant.
“The pet store had already named them when I bought them and actually told me that Charley was pregnant. I was pretty excited when I heard that and am waiting for the babies to come,” Almogren said. “They are good pets because they are quiet and get along most of the time. They try to bite me if I hold them so I don’t do that anymore.”
Charley and Prince are both very active and run about their cage excitedly, never too far apart from one another.
If you walk through the lobby of Kennedy-Newman, there is a good chance you will catch a glimpse of Reagan, a golden retriever puppy who belongs to Residence Life Coordinator Chelsea Carroll.
Reagan is around three months old, very playful and the ideal puppy. Residents can be seen playing with her frequently and obviously enjoying her presence. Cries of, “Reagan, come here!” are heard regularly from students wanting to give her a good scratch behind the ears.
“She mostly sleeps and causes havoc, but the residents really like her a lot,” Carroll said.
