While pet-friendly apartments allow tenants to be with their pets at all times, DeKalb has yet to create a dog park for our four-legged friends.

Students often have to leave their family members and pets behind when they embark on getting their degree.

Luckily for us, some properties are making it easier for us to take our dogs and cats with us so they don’t get left behind.

The only downside to this is there are no parks for our pups to run and get exercise.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, dogs need regular exercise every day in order to help prevent them from engaging in destructive and disruptive behaviors like chewing, jumping, restlessness or barking. Exercise can also help dogs prevent excessive weight gain.

Dogs are part of our family; therefore, we should keep them healthy and happy.

“I would love it if I could bring my boy out to DeKalb,” said junior English major Jason Reynen. “I left him at home because I don’t have a gated yard at my apartment with enough room to let him run free and get exercise. It just wouldn’t be fair to him.”

Having a dog park can benefit students when they need some downtime to study.

While their fluffy friend is running to its little heart’s content, students could take that time to study, read or just relax and enjoy the sunshine.

After their pet is tuckered out, they can enjoy some quiet time at home to write that paper they have been putting off for the entire week.

“When my dog has had enough exercise I can get a lot of work done,” said graduate French student Brandon Makthepharaks. “It would really help to have a dog park in DeKalb.”

A dog park would also benefit the dog and its owner by allowing the owner to meet fellow dog lovers and for the dog to properly socialize with other dogs and avoid the dog becoming timid, protective or aggressive toward people or animal. It’s a great social experience for all.

There are some parks in the area which have areas for off-leash dogs to run around.

I often visit Afton Forest Preserve, 13600 Crego Road, and Merritt Prairie Forest Preserve, 14351 Keslinger Road, which allow visitors to have their dogs off their leash, but the big problem I see is there are no gated areas for someone’s dog to run around.

It’s unsafe for someone to have their dog off a leash at these places because there are too many possibilities for your dog to run away or get lost.

I’d love it if my dog was able to run around all day and play there, but it’s a risk I’m just not willing to take.

Wouldn’t it be great if DeKalb, or even NIU, had its own dog park?

Students could ensure their dogs were getting the exercise they need and it could help them avoid having a restless dog interrupting their homework.

They would enjoy time with their pups and keep them healthy and happy.