Several different types of pets call Simpson their home. From dogs, to cats and fish, there’s a variety of cuddly friends inhabiting residence halls. 

One pet, in particular, is a little lazy-eyed dog named Lenny. Lenny lives with his mom, Kelsie Cooper, in the Washington Apartments. 

“I got Lenny in March my freshman year of college,” Cooper said. “He’s called a Cavapoo which is a mix of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle.”

Lenny is a little dog that is soft, brown, fluffy and has a slight lazy eye. 

“He’s kind of got a lazy eye,” Cooper said. “You can only notice it at certain angles but his eye kind of goes up to the side.” 

Besides his slight lazy eye, Lenny also loves socks.

“He will gently pull the socks off your feet,” Cooper said. “He just gently tugs on them, then he takes them in his kennel and hides them.” 

In Picken, a little long-haired black cat named Binx keeps Picken Hall Campus Advisor Lindsay Mahaney company. Binx provides joy to all of Mahaney’s residents and Picken residents in general through his quirky personality and overall charm and quirky behavior.

“The faucet drips and so he drinks out of it, he’s very picky,” Mahaney said. 

Sometimes when Mahaney’s residents are feeling down or are having an off day, they turn to Binx for comfort. 

“He’s actually had a lot of visitors so far, which is great,” Mahaney said. “I think people are excited to see an animal. It can be assumed why he’s here, but no one ever asks, which I appreciate.” 

Binx loves hanging out with Mahaney’s residents. He loves the attention he gets from it. Binx is a shining light to not only Mahaney but all who know him. 

Another cute creature living on campus is Kairo, a betta fish who lives with Kate Furr. Kairo spends most of his day swimming around the tank but also spends a good portion of the day trying to fight his reflection.

“He likes to try and fight the glass,” Furr said. “He’s aggressive. He rams into the glass especially right in the corner of the tank.”

Being a betta fish, Kairo doesn’t get along well with other aquatic creatures, but that doesn’t stop him from making friends with Furr and her roommates. 

All of these pets are just another part of what makes Simpson unique. While all very different, each pet brings joy and fun to the campus in a way nothing else quite can.