<p>The worst sacrifice of college is the loss of pets. You can’t have pets because either the dorms won’t allow it, or you can’t afford an apartment that’ll allow it, or you can’t afford to have a pet regardless of whether or not your landlord allows them. It’s hard. When you get home at the end of the day there’s no furry friend at the door to greet you, no one who nudges you when your sad, and also no one that forces you to make sure you get outside every day. What’s life without a little (or not so little) furry friend?</p>

<p>Recently there’s been an upswing in programs that, even though they aren’t directly aimed at college students, have led to their inclusion at many animal shelters around the United States. The Pokemon Go program at the Muncie Animal Shelter in Indiana has been particularly successful. They encourage players of the new game app, Pokemon Go, to use the time they’ll already spend walking outside with one of the shelter animals. A sizable percentage of Pokemon Go players are college students, as the game is based on a nostalgic card series and TV show from their childhood.</p>

<p>The result is that everyone benefits. It’s great for the people walking, who can always use a little furry companionship. The animals, too, since it gives them both exercise and time outside the shelter walls. But it’s also good for the shelter. They gain more public visibility and more information about how the potential adoptees will react to new environments, allowing them to place pups in better forever homes.</p>