Most people claim that dogs are people’s best friends. For senior Darby Gollaher, it’s her horse.

“I never had dogs; I had horses,” she said. “So I learned to understand horses.”

There are a lot of students who have close connections with their domestic animals, and sometimes the connection is what gets people through their days. Gollaher said that her horse Paint is her “go-to guy.”

“When I’m upset I can just throw on my coat and go see him,” she said.

Gollaher said she has had Paint for six years, thanks to a gift for her mother.

“My dad bought him for my mom, [but she didn’t like him],” Gollaher said. “He was a hand-me-down, kind of.”

Science teacher Mike Beck was looking for a hand-me-down when he went with his family to find his dog, but the Humane Society didn’t have what he was looking for.

“First we went to the Humane Society, but we wanted a puppy and they didn’t have any puppies,” he said.

So, the search continued and eventually led the family to the pet store. Once there, the kids’ voices were the ones that made the choice.

“My kids fell in love with this pug and we had to have her,” he said.

Beck said that the dog’s name is Kona, and she’s more than just a normal pug.

“Actually, she is a chug because she’s seven-eighths pug and one-eighth Chihuahua,” he said.

Though there are drawbacks with having a pet, such as having to find someone to take care of him/her when you go on a trip, Beck said that the positives outweigh the opposition.

“She puts a smile on your face,” he said.

On the other hand, some pets that students own are not all that pleasant. Senior Gunner Chandler said he owns such a pet.

“I’m terrified of this bird, so I don’t really do a lot with him,” Chandler said.

The bird, Sprocket, is an African Gray Parrot, and Chandler said that the pet doesn’t bother him too much, but sometimes Sprocket can challenge his self-composure.

“He’s definitely got an attitude,” he said.

Chandler said that there is someone in his household who does like Sprocket, and benefits from the pet’s company.

“When [my dad is] reading, he’ll have [Sprocket] on his hand or on his shoulder,” Chandler said.

The companionship one gets from having an animal may be different for each person, but Gollaher said that she believes her pet is a great addition to her life.

“He takes care of you, and sometimes that’s what you need.”