Believe it or not: At times, the best therapy just hops about and clucks

A Canadian psychology professor who researches the emotional benefits of pets has literally taken her work home. Her chosen companion? Not a dog, nor a cat, but an emotional support chicken named Saturday.

Therapy comes with feathers

Sonia Kong, who teaches at the University of Northern British Columbia, adopted the 11-month-old bird from a farm near Prince George — on a Saturday, hence the name.
“I feel like she’s so smart. She can understand my emotions,” Kong told CBC. “When I was sad, she just lay there, looking at me, you know, trying to figure out what was going on, ‘Why are you crying?’ That means a lot to me.” Saturday isn’t cooped up at home either. Kong even made a custom diaper so her feathered confidante can accompany her around town — proof that emotional support sometimes comes with wings.

Research that clucks

Kong is currently studying how pets influence the social and emotional development of teenagers through an international online survey. “We want to see whether there are cultural differences and how spending time with pets may influence adolescents in different cultural backgrounds,” she said. Kong’s parents are still warming up to the idea. They’ve jokingly asked whether she plans to eat Saturday. “It’s like ‘I will not! She’s a pet.’ They’re kidding but there are cultural differences or cultural value differences,” Kong said. For Kong, though, the science is personal. Sometimes, the best therapy simply sits beside you and clucks softly.



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