Yale Daily News

Nice story (and I don't really like squirrels that much.) Residential colleges are nearly dog heaven, but I can tell you from my friend's dog's experience, dog heaven on earth must be Old Campus. So much space, so many people to say hi to (nearly every other student has a story of their dog back home.)

Plus, the squirrels (shot of diseases) seem an ideal dorm pet. Are the authorities going to send the squirrels to the pound?

KT

that picture is disgusting

The reason why colleges don't allow pets is to prevent situations where that cat, currently owned by four students, what happens to him when they graduate? Who will keep him? What if their new lives/apartments don't allow for a pet? I am okay with this sharing only if it's clear before the adoption - and thank you for adopting - that one person will be responsible for the cat for the rest of his life. Cats and dogs can live for 15-20 years and people who are adopting need be sure they realize what they are getting into - including financially (please buy pet health insurance!) Re: the squirrel, she has now been taught not to be afraid of people - kind or NOT kind, and what happens when she encounters someone who is not kind? Also, if she relies on humans for food, she will not forage. I too am an animal lover - I just to make sure people realize what they are committing to with a pet, and educate themselves about why it's best to leave wild animals alone. Thank you.

One of us lives nearby and takes the cat on all holidays and her family (especially her 8 year old sister) plans on keeping it after we graduate if we let them. We didn't think through this decision lightly. Most of us have had cats before, so we knew it was a major commmitment.

I think the no animals policy might reflect a concern about noise, allergies, messes, and potential bites. Having had hockey player suitemates and basketball players in the room above, dogs might have been a welcome relief on all those scores.

I suspect many Yale students are as responsible about their pets as the women with the cat above, or at least I hope they are.

My worry, for example with the squirrels is that they get too used to being in dorm rooms, and next year, or some year in the future, the new occupants of the room call Campus custodial services to have the creatures removed perhaps by killing them. I hope not.

Thank you, responsible cat owners, I should have expected nothing less from Yale students! I work for an animal welfare organization and I thank you :) Re: "fear they might have squirrels removed" posting, you're right - maybe they should look into steps now that can be taken to try to prevent this, or at least ensure the word is passed down... or maybe start weaning the squirrel off the attention now. Thank you for caring.

Wonderful article.

squirrels are RODENTS. um, hello????

I wonder if the squirrels have ID cards to get into Old Campus?

Get a Clue Squirrel Haters Or Just Go Home

The problem with a Squirrel Hater is that he/she is not a squirrel-pet.

We would not dare to call into question the talents or qualifications of dogs, cats or guinea pigs simply because we have faith in Yale pet admissions standards and admit to knowing nothing about what it takes to be successful in these fields. One thing we have learned in our time at Yale is that sometimes the most important lessons are outside of the cage. The most unlikely animals and the most unexpected circumstances often are the best teachers. Squirrel haters, here is your opportunity to learn a lesson.

* * *

Given the current campus climate toward offensive speech (and rocks thrown at rodents), it is surprising that Squirrel Haters ignorantly buy into generalizations about squirrel-pets. We doubt that groundskeepers at numerous New Haven and Yale trees would call us “disrespectful” or “disruptive.” Rather, the hundreds of squirrel volunteers at these trees are (nut-)roll models.

While Squirrel Haters consider our non-scholarship status as indicative of mediocrity, the stunning successes of Yale’s squirrels presents an entirely different picture. In our four years at Yale, we have seen 12 squirrels become All Ivy League Nut Collectors. Currently, Bulldog squirrel rosters are filled with squirrel/pet All-Americans, national champion nut gathers, Olympic chattering qualifiers and potential professional squirrels as pets, as well as many squirrels who turned down giant nut hoards to attend Yale on their own ...nut.

To call us mediocre is to insult each and every squirrel-pet who has gathered nuts from Yale. These alumni are leaders in squirrel-society and continue to foster and uphold the great traditions of this University's most Bush-y Tailed squirrels.

Consider a few dumb squirrels who were once “barely surviving gut nut-gathering classes” as student-pet squirrels at Yale: Rocky ’71, soaring team/track Yale long-jump record holder, 4 time all-American tree climber, half of famous "moose and squirrel" team; Screwball "Screwy" Squirrel ’44, nut-toss captain; star of Happy-Go-Nutty; Slappy Squirrel '78, gymnast, Animaniacs; Secret Squirrel ’77, gymnastics; "Agent 000"; Benno C. Schmidt, Jr., hockey, onetime President of Yale.

Yale is a place filled with extraordinary rodents who are characterized by a multitude of talents and skills and furry coats, bright eyes and bushy tails. Rather than waste time focusing on our differences or divisions, let us unite and channel our nervous squirrel energy toward solving the larger issues in the local trees and around the globe. We are all privileged to be Yalie squirrels. We should disregard any differences that might exist and celebrate our gifts and achievements and dens and big front teeth and nuts together.

Stephen Squirrelhofer and David Silbersquirrel are squirreleniors in Jonathan Edwards' and Ezra Stiles' Courtyard trees, respectively. They are members of the Yale furball team.

wow