Pet-Friendly Universities: Stephens College

Stephens College in Columbia, MO has been a pet-friendly institution since 2004. Searcy Hall (also known as Pet Central) combines standard dorm amenities with a pet-friendly policy, and over 40 students take advantage of the option to bring pets (including dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters and birds) to campus each year.

Like other pet-friendly schools, Stephens has a designated pet council to keep things in order. They also offer a doggie daycare inside Searcy/Pet Central, where pups can hang out while their owners are in class. A $200 deposit is required of pet-owning students, and the fee is fully refundable if no damage is done to the room.

Stephens representatives say that the students who bring pets to campus tend to be a focused and academically successful bunch, and similar to Eckerd College, they agree that bringing pets to campus is a trend on the rise.

This historic women's college recently made Huffington Post's list of top Pet-Friendly Colleges