When you think of a skunk, the first thing that springs to mind is the smell—and not its suitability as an emotional support animal.

However, a viral Reddit post shared by user CoffeeMilkLvr suggests that skunks have a bad reputation and actually have a softer side. In fact, they can be trained as emotional support animals (ESA).

An October 7 post, captioned "My grandfather's retirement home has an emotional support skunk that comes in," shows an adorable image of a skunk and has garnered 98,000 upvotes. The Redditor told Newsweek the skunk, called Meadow, is one of many animals that visits the retirement home in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Kristen Jacobsen, a licensed clinical professional counselor, spoke to Newsweek about the unconventional ESA, noting that it can offer the same benefits typically associated with more common ESAs like dogs and cats.

Chicago-based Jacobsen said: "When properly trained and cared for, skunks can form strong bonds with elderly individuals, providing companionship, comfort, and unconditional love. These interactions can help mitigate feelings of loneliness, isolation, and depression, which can be common in older age.

"Neurologically, spending time with an ESA stimulates the release of oxytocin (a hormone that enhances feelings of safety and emotional connection) in the brain and also reduces cortisol (the stress hormone). An ESA's calm, nonjudgmental nature fosters a sense of emotional security, helping elderly individuals feel more connected and less isolated. However, it's essential that any skunk used as an ESA is domesticated and well-trained to ensure both safety and positive emotional experiences for everyone involved."

Spraying is a last resort for skunks as they will give warning signals, such as raising their tail, stomping their feet, hissing, or charging— if they feel threatened. If these warnings are ignored, then they will spray, which uses up their crucial defense, and it can take up several days for their glands to replenish.

Emotional Support Animals vs. Service Animals

A service animal is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a dog trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability, including physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or mental disabilities.

Emotional support animals provide emotional support to help alleviate symptoms of a disability, such as depression or anxiety. Unlike service animals, they are not specifically trained to perform tasks and can be any type of animal, not just dogs.

Reddit Reacts

So far, the heartwarming post has had over 700 comments.

"I feel emotionally supported by that lil' guy just from this picture!" said one user, while another pointed out: "What always strikes me about skunks is how CLEAN they always look. Maybe it's the coloring but raccoons and opossums look dirty af in comparison."

"Our cats treat the skunks like any other cat. When I sleep on my hammock I have awakened to three or four cats and a skunk either on the ground or the hammock. Haven't been sprayed for over 30 years," said a third commenter.

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