Legal Pets: A 140lb Dog in Wigg

College students can barely take care of themselves, much less their pets, but luckily proctors seem a little more responsible. Following up on missing mice and cannibal hedgehogs, both of these campus pets seem to be living the good life in Harvard Yard. Enjoy the fourth and final installment in this Flyby miniseries!

RORY THE WHEATAN TERRIER

Owner: Vanessa Zoltan
“Her name is Rory. Should I give her full name? Okay, her name is Rory Gilmore.”

Flyby: How is it raising a puppy in a dorm?
VZ: I think it’s fantastic raising a puppy in a dorm because all the kids walk her and they socialized her. I think it’s actually one of the easier places to raise a dog.

Flyby: Can you pet do any tricks?
VZ: Yes, she can give a high-ten. She can also tell in which hand the treat is in... I’m also going to teach her to take a bow soon.

Flyby: How is she with the students in your entryway?
VZ: She likes [the students in my entryway] so much that certain ones, she hears their voice when they’re waiting for the elevator that she’ll go to our door and start scratching at it and is just dying to go say hello. She loves them.

CHARLES RIVER THE GREAT DANE

Owner: Joe Vitti

Flyby: When did you first get your pet?
JV: Three years ago. I moved into a dog friendly apartment and decided I had to get a dog. I looked through a litter and picked Charles. He was big enough that you could scoop him up in one hand. Now he’s 140 pounds. He was the runt. His father was 180 pounds.

Flyby: How easy is it raising a pet in a dorm?
JV: People think that it would be difficult, but its actually really not. I work in Northwest so Im able to walk back and forth to take care of him. Students come and ask if they can walk the dog for me, and I can steal hamburgers in Annenberg for him sometimes and he loves those.

Flyby: Does your pet like the students in your entryway? Do they like your pet?
JV: Oh definitely. Theres a lot of mutual affection. For one of our study breaks, it was his birthday, so we had a big cookie cake for the students a doggy cookie for Charles. The PAFs lit candles and stuff it was really fun”

Flyby: What kind of reaction do you get whenever people see Charles?
JV: Everything from jaw-dropping need to come up and introduce themselves to be people who will literally cross the street to get away from us. Some think he's really cool and others think he’s absolutely terrifying.