It seems that the reason many college kids (or pet owners of any age) adopt pets is to have a companion. Because college is such a transitional time in a young person’s it’s normal to feel lonely or anxious. To combat these negative feelings people get pets. 

Pets also provide a great amount of social support for owners which is crucial for college age students. The social aspect of Isla Vista can be overwhelming for people that come from small towns, or did not “party” in highschool and some people have a hard time trying to figure out how to be social in a “non-party” setting. Owning a pet can be helpful in creating a social network for the owner. A owner walking a dog could meet another dog owner out on a walk, or a cat owner could invite people over to come play with her cat. Pets can help break the social barrier that exists in Isla Vista. Additionally, social support often improves psychological and physiological health (McConnel,Brown). So, when the owner is able to be more social they might have more motivation to do well in school, exercise more, and take care of themselves.