For some students, the hardest part of going away to college can be leaving their beloved pets behind. Freshman college housing usually does not allow students to bring furbabies, or their studies are too demanding to care for four-legged friends. Luckily for one Mississippi student, Betsy Redfern, she found a sweet way to bring her chihuahua Cupid to college.

Best Four-Legged Friend For Life

Cupid has been with Betsy for over 12 years and the pair are practically inseparable (even sharing a bed during this time). Initially, Cupid was a gift to Betsy in third grade and has since been by Betsy’s side through her many ups and downs. In 2017, Cupid’s support for Betsy continued in a new way, as the two moved to college. (1)

Doggie Dorm Room

During her sophomore year, Besty moved out of dorms and into a new apartment that allowed dogs. Upon moving in with Cupid, she realized that there was an extra closet attached to her master suite bedroom. Instead of defaulting the space to storage, she got a brilliant idea to do something special for little Cupid. She would make the little closet into an abode for Cupid to sleep and hang out while Betsy was in class. With some design support, Cupid would have her very own doggie dorm room at college. (1)

Cute And Practical

Calling her mom for help, Betsy got to work changing up her college closet into a full-on spoiled pooch pad. Cupid’s room now features a small 4-post bed, cozy blankets, a bucket of toys, a plush rug, and personalized nameplate. Betsy told The Dodo, “The bed was designed by my mom and she sewed everything herself…There’s a rack for all his dog clothes, too.” The color palette and patterns were chosen specifically to complement Betsy’s bedroom, so the two can match. No doubt, Cupid’s room is adorable and she looks super comfy chilling in her bed – all she needs now is a little TV. (2)

But Betsy explained to Pop Sugar that Cupid’s room is a very important part of their life at college. She said, “Cupid’s room has been so great because I am able to put a baby gate up and keep him in there when I go to class so I know he is safe and cozy,” Betsy told Pop Sugar. Like any good dorm room, Cupid has a roommate too! He shares the space with Betsy’s 5-year old turtle Caru. So far there have been no squabbles between these two bunkmates. (2, 3)

One More Special Touch…

Recently, Cupid’s room got a festive touch: A chihuahua-sized Christmas Tree. “I was just decorating my apartment for Christmas, so I figured a tree would be a nice addition,” she said. “I like to spoil him.”  The tree, topped with a star, lights up and has its own ornaments. Betsy said, “I found the tree and the star-topper at Dollar Tree and the ornaments at Target. I think it cost at most $15 for me to do! It was so cute!”. Hopefully, this is the start of a beautiful holiday tradition for Betsy and Cupid!  (2, 3)