Skunks: The hot new pet?
Take away the stink, and a skunk might just take the dog's place at the foot of your bed
The video: Skunks — they're cute little balls of fur with the power to blanket an area with a foul, sticky stench. They're clearly not the most mainstream pet, but one Florida couple is trying to change all that. Don and Brenda Hoch share their home with not one, but 15 skunks. (See a local news report below). And they encourage their Florida neighbors to welcome the animals into their lives as pets. But do they smell? Nope. The Hoch skunks are de-scented by the time they're two to three weeks old. Then they're free scamper around the house — climbing in and out of drawers, begging for food, and cuddling — just like dogs.
The reaction: Man, meet your new best friend, says Judy Slade, founder of Florida Skunk Rescue, as quoted by Tampa Bay Online. They're cute companions, but watch out, because pet skunks are also "like potato chips. You can't have just one." Well that may be going a bit overboard, says Sportress of Blogitude. They are certainly odd, and not exactly the "conventional choice" for a pet. But without the stink, why not? Judge for yourself:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Will California's EV mandate survive Trump, SCOTUS challenge?
Today's Big Question The Golden State's climate goal faces big obstacles
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Underneath the noise, however, there’s an existential crisis'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
2024: the year of distrust in science
In the Spotlight Science and politics do not seem to mix
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published