Our offices here at The Prophet were flooded with owls this morning when staff arrived to begin their day after an announcement was made by the Governors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The staff of Hogwarts and the Governors have apparently been working on expanding several school policies to be more inclusive, such as pet policies and dormitory assignments. The announcement sent to parents via owl post late yesterday afternoon stated there were several other policies updated and even some new policies that will be announced in the coming months after final adjustments have been made.
The owls we received from parents of Hogwarts students seem to have a common thought: that these policies will be more trouble than they are worth. Changing dormitory assignments is an easy adjustment as it is described by the Governors. Students will no longer stay in the same room their full seven years in the castle, but instead, there will be specific rooms for each grade level. Our source from the last Governors meeting stated the dorm rooms will offer different amenities than the standard dorm rooms’ four-poster beds and wardrobes.
Each dorm room will still have these basic items for each student, but as students progress through school, their personal storage space in the dormitories will be expanded. Bathrooms will also be larger and have more features for each ascending grade level. While we received a few complaints about the changes to the dorms, the main cord of discontent was in regards to the pet policy.
The official standard, when it came to pets in the castle, was that students would be allowed either a cat, an owl or a toad. Yet, many students ended up with more than one pet during their time at school, or with an animal that is not on the approved list, such as a ferret or a rat. Several of our staff members even stated that during their years at school, several students had dogs or exotic pets, such as snakes, lizards, and turtles. There were even reported cases of students having magical plants as pets in their dormitories.
These students were occasionally reprimanded, but during our investigations, it was discovered that cases of actual punishments were rarely ever filed within student disciplinary records. While the motivation behind the amendments to the pet policy have yet to be discovered, logic can be found in the frustration being displayed by many parents over the recent changes.
Per the official announcement, students will be allowed to have no more than 2 pets at the same time during their magical education. Students will have to send in a form registering their animals, and each animal will be required to have a tag, either on the animal itself or on the animal’s cage/tank. While dogs are still not on the official approved list of pets allowed in the castle, exotic pets have been given the all clear, as long as they are properly maintained. Free roaming animals, such as cats, will have to be spayed/neutered in order to stay in the castle. Students are discouraged from allowing their animals to venture out of the dormitory and common room areas.
It is suggested that identification cuffs are used for owls and other birds (a recent addition to the approved animals list) being kept as pets. Cats will need to have tags on their collars. All animals must be transported in cages, baskets, tanks or crates during arrival to and departure from school grounds, including breaks for Christmas and Easter holidays. Eeylops Owl Emporium of Diagon Alley and the Magical Menagerie have both already placed orders to aid students in the proper identification and care of their familiar companions and will have these items available for special pricing to all Hogwarts students before the start of the new term.
Any student found to have a pet that has not been properly registered with the school, or an animal that is not on the approved list will face disciplinary action and possibly have their animal removed from the school. Have the Governors added to the workload of the schools administration and staff with these new policies? How do you feel that they will affect the school as a whole? We want to know! Send us your owls today!
Great so now I have to explain that to my muggle parents that we need to go by strict rules now. Why???
I share a different opinion. I’m being allowed into Pre-Hogwarts this year to prep (my father opened it up as he was concerned). We must follow the same rules. I’m going shopping in diagon alley later today and I’m getting an owl as I need to send letters and parcels and a cat to keep me entertained.
Malfoys keep your slimy noses out of this
Don’t be rude!
My sister (Hermione Granger) and I feel like this is good and organized, Crookshank would’ve approved
Read This During Quarantine In My Muggle House •~• btw,, im potter Family Descendants 🙂
awesome
All these changes……………..
hopefully they allow my dragon, shes well trained i swear
i just want a pet that is not a cat (bc i am allergect) or a owl (bc my dogs and lack of flying room) or toad bc no.
i want my dog to come! no fair!
Preposterous!
As a half blood(my parents are both half blood) I am going to bring my snowy owl Quiennet.
My brother Analin may have a harder time with bringing his ginger cat Alderwal because Alderwall is mean! BTW I am in the same year as Ginny. Being a 3rd year is kinda hard.
Thank goodness I graduated this last year, this seems to be a bit strict.
So I can bring my dragon but I can’t bring my dog-
IN WHAT REALM IS THIS FAIR!?
Hogwarts
True
I know right, it sounds unfair
Thank goodness we are not bringing dogs. I’m extremely scared of them you know. My pet is a tawny owl, it is quite useful.
Don’t worry, I share your opinion. You not alone! I have many friends who own dogs and it’s difficult for me to even step foot in their house!
So can I bring my badger HuffPuff? Lol I have three pets Blossom(Cat), Peanut(Weasel), and HuffPuff my Badger. I’m bringing HuffPuff and Blossom.
So I can bring my snake and harpy eagle now??? (no they do not try to eat each other, they gett along quite well actually)
That’s a big change man…..
Can I Bring my Bunny?
I’m pretty sure bunnies should be allowed, they can’t harm anything.
There are a lot of misconceptions about rabbits. They can be very sweet and gentle but any animal can have the potential of injuring you or another animal. Rabbits are prey animals and can lash out with aggression from fear or trying to protect their there territory. They need to be able to trust you to know that they aren’t being harmed.
There was this one bunny in Merlin’s memoirs from when King Arthur went looking for the Holy Grail, but according to Merlin that one had been cursed. I suggest having the bunny checked by an Auror before bringing it to school!
I am going to take my trained Dragon and blindfolded Basilisk. The Basilisk’s name is Heart-Stopper. My Peruvian Vipertooth’s name is swift lightning.
Aren’t basilisks illegal?
Hmm?
You could get into a lot of trouble you know, if you brought an illegal basilisk to school.
Swift Lightning*
they are illegal, but i’m sure they will make a exeption
p.s. i’m a huge fan of harry potter
Plz let me bring my dog, I was waiting for the rules to change, I even taught my dog magic and bought him a wand!
Its so unfair that dogs are not allowed but cats, birds, toads and rats are. I want my dog to come too.
you got your dog a WAND!?
Yes.
I only have a dog and I don’t like cat’s or toads so I will have to bring an owl, I hear they are quite useful.
will I be able to bring my goat? he’s very good!!
So we can have scrawny rats but not dogs! No fair,my dog is good I swear!I will Avada Kedavra you!!
That is Probably the THE most Slytherin thing I have ever heard in my life. (No offence to Slytherins.) HEY-
Hi, sorry about my twin, Slytherins.
~H.
What about kittens or owlets, can we bring those. (btw i am james potter cousin’s daughter)
This is RIDICULOUS! We are allowed exotic animals but not dogs?! Preposterous!
Hey!! You tell us that new pets are allowed, but where’s the list? I want to know which pets are allowed before I go in next year!
What pets are allowed? Is there a list?
Yeah I kinda wanna know too.
Seriously?! Dogs aren’t allowed but “ExOtIc PeTs” are! I was going to bring my dogs Ash and Willow. (They are Weimaraner’s.) They are highly trained and were super excited to come with me! Now I have to get a owl! No fair!
Well owls are very useful.
They arent useful for entertainment and Cuddles. (im a dog lover.)
I don’t have an owl sadly, only a cockatiel. But I swear, he is super gently, and usually follows me around wherever I go. (Except if he’s sleeping, he loves sleeping too)
He’s also very smart! Not only does he understand come, food, different rooms in the house and people and what more, he also knows how to play peek a boo!
Though, he’s not strong enough to carry mail, so I might have to borrow someone else’s owl there…
A last thing, what about bringing larger magical animals like dragons, or gryphons? If so, where would be a suitable and acceptable place to keep them? As, obviously they won’t fit in the common rooms eheheh…. -Asking for a friend
I guess if you ask the headmaster for permission and prove he’s well trained, maybe a few dogs could go. Mine is an emotional support animal.
Ok, really? Dogs not allowed is a riddikulus rule! Dogs can sometimes be unruly, but its ok if you train them..
What!? I have two dogs named Omen and Crow, and even though they are both nine feet tall they are nice and gentle!
I have a lot of pets, MingMong(unicorn) Omen(dog) Crow(dog) Periwinkle(ferret) Mako(weasel) Milky(albino rottweiler) Malikai(cobra) Meeda(python) Basil(dragon)
That isn’t actually all of them but that’s only a short list. I have a basilisk and stuff and more dragons (I have about five hundred dragons) and not to mention a few albino peacoks because my dad (draco malfoy) really likes those.
I’d have thought your father wouldn’t allow you to have a ferret because of what happened years ago— i was a year above him when I was at school— you said you have a basilisk and dragons, they’re illegal, and I could not possibly think that they’d make basilisks legal after- er… you know, your father probably told you all about it.
All of my pets are emotional support animals. People have always bullied me and I’ve been getting really down. Hey, will any of you guys be my friends? I mean, I know that some of my animals are scary and maybe dangerous but they are really well trained I promise you! None of my pets would hurt a fly! By the way, I’m taking my N.E.W.Ts and I’m only a first year!
Oh, that makes more sense as to why you have a basilisk and I’ll be a much older friend of yours— but, sure. And I’m very sorry about you being bullied. I didn’t know it was possible, know matter how smart you were to take N.E.W.Ts as a first year, but congratulations!!! May I ask what house are you in Ms. Malfoy?
i love owls yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so glad we can bring two pets I can’t bring my cat and my crup I’m so happy
Wait is a crup counted as a dog?
I have a pet crup so can I bring him? His name is Finn.
i wish girl
Can my abnormally large Cat Alastor come?
Well, I guess now I don’t have to choose between my cat Jerry (Named after the the mouse from a popular muggle TV series, Tom and Jerry) and my Snowy Owl, Abira.
What’s Tom and Jerry?
Tom and Jerry is a TV show. It’s really funny. Honestly, I think wizards and witches should try watching TV!
At least I know I am not the only whitch who finds those shows amusing.
are spayed pet rabbits allowed in the castle? I wish i could get a toad but my parents said no
Regarding Dogs does that count Service dogs as not being allowed as I have Eplispy and have a Seizure Response Dog.
So we can bring scrawny rats, exotic animals but NO DOGS!?!?!?!? I HAVE TO BRING MY PETS! THEY ARE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS!!!!!!!! Toyo(Griffin) Poyo(Griffin) Seth(Snake) Niyo(Australian Shepherd*) Miyo(Australian Shepherd*) *Swallowed engorgement charmed cookies and are very large. Ashfeather(Hippogriff), Nonoyoko(Unicorn), Goldwish(Unicorn), Kill(Basilisk), Yuyami(winged ferret)
Oh, dont forget about, Togo, Muni, Fumio, Usagi, Nezumi, Takuto, Chie, Kame, Athelstan, Yukiko, Yugi, Himani, Ushi, Tameo, Notawe, Ugame, Shotanawa, Donia, Umanatake, Jononorukata, Kaunimia, Chonawa, Eyetewa, Howdana, Koonatei, Owyana and Chetayawei. Those are my dragons.
Woah! You have so many pets! Would love to have as many as you! I have an owl named Scarlet (cuz I’m a Gryffindor) and I have a dog named Oreo (black and white Shih Tzu).
Holy crumbles that is a lot of pets, when I was at school I just had a tawny owl named Meridia-holabuvquick but I called her Mer for short
I also have a winged ferret I have two actually
I can still bring my Squirrel, right?
So I can’t bring my unicorn? Fiddlesticks…
so can i bring my pet dragon Roxanne/Roxy? She well trained and is just like my owl
I’m just glad I can still bring my pet owl Zues
Oh my gosh! I wish I could bring my pet dog. Had to leave him at home. Miss him so much! Why can’t we bring dogs? This makes no sense!
No way! my owls name is Zeus too! My owl Zeus is blind tho but I love him anyway!
Well, I think this is fantastic. About time Hogwarts changed that pet rule.
Why the hell aren’t dogs allowed if bloody DRAGONS are?! That makes absolutely no sense. Still, at least I can bring a pet dragon to Hogwarts, I guess… Although I’m rather happy with my owl, Ginger, and I guess these new pet policies don’t really apply to her because they’ve always allowed owls. Do you think I ought to get a dragon? If so, can you train them so that it won’t eat my owl?
Wait, does this mean I can bring my dragon?
I do hope my pet Antipodean Opaleye Steamer will be allowed. She is very well trained. So obedient and gentle very friendly too. I’ll also definitely be bringing my black cat Dalamar or my two winged ferrets Merlin and Freya
Steamer is also not fully grown she’s just a baby dragon of course she will get bigger though. She is also just as useful as an owl she knows how to send letters and objects. For some reason her favorite things to carry are broom sticks, wands and stuffed animals.
I WANT TO BRING MY DOGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to bring my dog and my owl
I WANT TO BRING MY DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So no acromantulas?
I wish I could go to Hogwarts. I received my acceptance letter, but I’m a half-blood and my muggle born dad said he wanted me to get a proper education so I had the choice of living the life of a witch or the life of a muggle.
He doesn’t stop me from being in contact with the wizarding world (my world) so I do occasionally get to go to Diagon Alley and have lunch at The Leaky Cauldron. I also have been practicing spells. I guess you could say I’m being home schooled.
So are dragons allowed at Hogwarts?
I do hope I can bring my Antipodean Opaleye her name is Seamer and she is very well trained. So obedient and gentle and very friendly. I will definitely be bringing my black cat Dalamar aswell.
Did I say Seamer it’s supposed to say Steamer
I am curious to know how are the rabbit parents of the wizarding world supposed give their rabbits proper housing at Hogwarts. The cages in pet stores are to small for any breed of rabbit. Ex-pens and large dog kennel are recommended for housing. Domesticated rabbits are extremely social animals and that is the same for their wild counterparts, the Eurasian rabbit. A bonded pair of rabbit is the maximum of animals you can bring. Bonding rabbits is extremely complicated in itself after bonding them, rabbits cannot be separated, otherwise it could cause fighting amongst the pair. What if you have a group of rabbits that cannot be separated. Are there exceptions for the mental health, welfare, and safety of these animals? Tags are also an issue because you cannot put collars on rabbits. Collars can cause serious injury to them instead they need to be microchipped.
If I were going to Hogwarts I would bring both my buns Marigold (spayed) and Bumblebee (only 3 month-not at the age for neuter, two more months to go)
I can’t be the only one who thought dogs should’ve been allowed in the first place, right?
I’m bringing my dog- a Beagle pup Mini.
They mentioned dogs to be exotic, so I guess I can bring her
I can’t live without her!!!
I would love to be able to bring my opossum, Henry, he is such a sweet boy and he is trained and amazing.
I hope I can bring my opossum, he is well trained and his name is Henry and I love him so much, and he is leash trained. I would also like to bring my beautiful badger.
I hope I can bring my opossum, he is well trained and his name is Henry and I love him so much, and he is leash trained. I would also like to bring my beautiful badger.
Since people are bringing dragons would it be okay if I brought my Augurey, since I don’t have a dragon or anything else. Also where is the list of these animals that we are allowed to bring. And why is dog’s not allowed I mean I don’t have any dogs I only have the normal stuff, Billywigs, Demiguise, Nundu, Zouwu, Bowtruckle, Augurey, Doxy, Erumpent, Graphorn, Fwooper (Beautiful creatures if you ask me), and more
Eeeeeeeeee wait, what other pets can i technically bring then??????
Now I dont have to leave my pet dragon at home like i did before.
If owls, cats, and toads are allowed at Hogwarts, why not dogs? Why is it that exotic animals are allowed, yet not sweet little puppies? How much harm could they possibly cause? Isn’t Hogwarts itself a home for hippogriffs, octopuses, mermaids, grindylows, thestrals, acromantulas, and centaurs? So, if Hogwarts can be a home for such animals, why not dogs? I would like to know what is wrong with bringing a cute pup to school with you.