The pangs of homesickness students feel during the first week of college often extends beyond family members to the family pet.

Most pets are not allowed in the dorms, with a few exceptions such as fish, and finding off-campus housing that allows pets can be challenging, forcing many students to part with their pets.

Michelle Clark, staff psychologist at Student Counseling Services, said getting used to not having pets can be one component of a student’s adjustment to college.

“If people are experiencing feelings of loss as a result of leaving pets, counseling is available,” Clark said.

Some students have found spending time with animals on campus helpful.

“I handle the separation by getting involved in agriculture clubs and going to pet the horses at the horse barns,” said Laurie Hueneke, a freshman in animal science and pre-veterinary medicine.

Hueneke said she also hangs up pictures of her pets in her room to cope with missing them.

Although most apartment complexes in Ames do not allow pets, one agency, Ev Cochran and Associates, does.

“We try to cater to a lot of veterinary kids. We’ve found they almost all have pets and tend to be more mature students. Plus, we have properties out in the middle of a cornfield where we have lots of green space to walk your dogs,” Ev Cochran, apartment manager of Ev Cochran and Associates, said.

Cochran said he has pets himself, and he sympathizes with the tenants.

“I wouldn’t part with my German shepherds for anything,” he said.

Students that live on campus or who are not allowed pets in their apartments can still spend some quality time with animals by visiting the Iowa State farms.

“Students are always welcome to go to farms and interact with the animals. People are always here,” Brad Skarr, associate professor of animal science, said.

Skarr said, however, that students should let the herdsmen know when they will be on the premises.

A lot of the students who visit the farms, Skarr said, include those that were raised on farms.

“A lot of farm kids miss working with cattle or other animals,” he said.

Skarr said that there are job and volunteer opportunities which really help farm kids.