In recent years, Tufts' Fletcher Field has been the locale of many prominent events on campus, including commencement activities and the annual orientation barbeque. But Fletcher also hosts an entirely different wave of guests: canines.
Because of its fenced-in open space and a dog-friendly atmosphere, dog owners bring their dogs to what has been dubbed "the Fletcher dog park" nearly every evening around 6:30 p.m.
Spencer Moore, who lives only a few blocks away from Tufts' campus, brings his dogs to Fletcher to play three or four times a week.
"[I bring my dogs here] mostly just because I know that there are other dogs here," he said. "Some of the people have [their dogs] off the leash ... and it's the biggest open area that's close to where I live."
Stephanie, another frequenter of Fletcher Field, agreed that she mostly brings her dog, Slick, to Tufts because it is convenient and fun to let her dog play with other dogs. Stephanie did not wish to give her last name.
"When I first got [Slick] not many people came here, but then people in the area [started] meeting up," she said. "It's not necessarily planned, people just kind of bring their dogs up and walk them, and then people just kind of meet whenever they see more dogs here, and they play."
Stephanie, whose husband is a student at Tufts, said that she feels well-received by students and noted that she has only encountered one problem when bringing Slick to the Hill.
"I have a 130-lb. dog, so I think the person was a little bit weary of his size," she said. "But he's the sweetest dog in the world."
In addition to bringing their dogs to Fletcher, many dog walkers and dog owners also take their pooches for walks around campus. In the pet-deprived world of a college campus, students seem to enjoy the canine presence.
"I like it, because it shows that people actually come to Tufts and enjoy the sights as much as we do," senior Alec Lewis said. "It's like when parents bring their kids sledding."
Senior Naeema Campbell, who was not allowed to have any four-legged pets growing up, finds the presence of dogs on campus to be anything but a nuisance.
"It's not like we have dogs chasing us," she said. "I like it because it makes us feel like we're part of the community and not just that school on the Hill."
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