Saint Anselm College has a distinct culture and atmosphere for its campus that draws many new students to it each year. It is not uncommon for members of the surrounding community to walk their dogs on campus grounds and have students stop to say hello. 

It is no secret that many college students who are feeling homesick miss one thing in particular: their pets. Many people may recognize a few on-campus pets: Beezly, Thompson, Bruiser, and Maui. Sam Salas Santos is a senior Resident Assistant who has had Beezly on campus with her for one year. Beezly’s name is inspired by the “Mrs. Beasley” dolls as well as the television show “The Office.” Salas Santos says that having a service dog on campus has been both good and bad at times. While Beezly helps improve her quality of life, Salas Santos has said that she has been harassed, screamed at, and received unkind and judgmental remarks or looks while with Beezly. She notes, “I’ve been sworn at because of her, and people have even attempted to hit her. I also get shamed for not having a visible disability.” 

However, not all of her experiences have been bad; Salas Santos remarks that there are people who are respectful and supportive of her and Beezly. These negative experiences never bring Santos down, though, because with Beezly’s personality, “it’s always a good experience.” 

For those who have been fortunate enough to meet Sam Salas Santos, it is obvious that Beezly cares immensely about her handler. Salas Santos says that she and Beezly are both hard workers, with Beezly also being “a big empath with people” just like her. Salas Santos lives on campus as a Resident Assistant, and having a service dog has not impeded her academics or dorm life; in fact, it has made them more entertaining. Salas Santos says, “When Beezly is off duty, she often runs the 2nd floor of Brady and often loves the attention of the residents since I am an RA. Many even call her RA Beezly.”

Those who have pets know that the connection between a pet and their owner is not one to be taken lightly, and this is especially true of a service dog and their handler. Salas Santos says, “Beezly and I have an understanding, I come first for her and she comes first for me. Dogs for me are family and Beezly and I are a little family here on campus.”

Salas Santos is not the only student on campus who has a service dog, either. Brianne Rett, a junior who transferred to Saint A’s last year, has a service dog named Thompson. Rett mentioned that transferring to Saint Anselm was a big unknown for her and that caused her a lot of anxiety. With Thompson’s help, Rhett says, “I felt more at ease, knowing I had Thompson with me and was able to jump right into the community. I love experiencing life and everything campus has to offer as a team. I feel double the fulfillment because what I accomplish, we do together.”

Rhett has a strong bond with Thompson, and she says that he is “always there for me no matter what. He knows me incredibly well and warns me when something is off and will never leave my side. The unconditional love we have for each other is one of a kind.”

Alongside the service dogs on campus, there are also many pets of faculty, such as Gregg Cecconi’s dog, Bruiser. Cecconi is the Director of Campus Ministry and has had Bruiser with him on campus since July 2023. Cecconi says that Bruiser is very intuitive and eager to go to work with him: “Every morning when I am getting ready for work he looks up at me waiting for the signal if he is coming with me or staying home.”

The campus community is thankful when Cecconi brings Bruiser to work, as students always ask to say hello to them. Cecconi says, “It is not unusual to see four or five students sitting around Bruiser on the floor in Campus Ministry rubbing his belly and stroking his ears.”

As the Director of Campus Ministry, Cecconi brings a unique perspective on what it means to have a dog as a companion. He says, “I think dogs can tell us a lot about God. Through their natural way of being, they remind us that their Creator is also faithful, joyful, and loves unconditionally.”

Wayne Currie, the Director of the Center for Intercultural Learning and Inclusion, had his dog, Maui, on campus a few times a semester last year and has since started bringing him to Saint Anselm on Thursdays this year. Maui was given his name by Currie’s daughter inspired by the Disney movie “Moana.”

According to Currie, “People seem happier in general when Maui is here. It helps that he is so well-behaved. It also makes the Intercultural Center feel more like a family since we have a pet mascot.” The Intercultural Center is a space where any student can hang out and feel welcome, and Currie has noticed that Maui also draws more students in to say hello. He says, “It helps to break the ice about coming into a space that is new to them, like the Intercultural Center. For those who live on-campus and left their pets at home, seeing Maui can help with homesickness.” 

However, not everyone is as comfortable being around pets because of allergies or anxieties, which is something that Currie has become more accustomed to when Maui is on campus. Currie has had to become more cautious because he says having Maui has “made me more conscious of those who are skittish around dogs, and to respect their boundaries.”