The author ponders on pros and cons of owning skunks as pets. She cites the case of Deb Cipriano, known as the Skunk Lady, who transformed her place in Ohio into a safe harbor for more than fifty abandoned domesticated skunks. She states that skunk ownership in the U.S. is considered generally illegal or extremely controlled in the U.S. She also notes that taking care of skunks needs a great deal of physical efforts and patience, which is the reason why domesticated skunks are often abandoned.