Professor travels with an emotional support chicken: ‘She can understand my emotions’
A Canadian psychology professor who researches how relationships with pets support healthy development has an unusual therapy companion of her own: an emotional support chicken that helps her in daily life.
Sonia Kong said the 11-month-old bird, named Saturday after the day she adopted it from a farm near Prince George, has become an important source of comfort.
“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, trying to figure out what was going on — ‘Why are you crying?’ That means a lot to me.”
To make it easier to bring Saturday along on outings, Kong even designed a custom diaper for the bird so it can travel with her around the city.
Kong, who teaches at the University of Northern British Columbia, is currently leading research on how pets influence teenagers’ social and emotional development. The study uses an online survey to gather responses from young people in different regions.
She is conducting the international research project with Tracy Wong, an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The goal is to explore whether cultural differences shape how time spent with pets affects adolescents’ growth and well-being.
Kong said her parents are still adjusting to the idea of their daughter having a chicken as a pet and have jokingly asked whether she plans to eat it. She explained that while they are teasing, their reaction reflects differing cultural perspectives on animals. “It’s like, ‘I will not! She’s a pet,’” Kong said, noting that cultural values can influence how people view animals in the home.
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