Skunk lovers gather for Skunkfest

Skunk lovers from around the world have gathered in North Ridgeville, Ohio, for the sixth annual Skunkfest.

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Proceeds from the event, which has drawn de-scented skunk owners from as far away as the Netherlands, go toward the nonprofit organization Skunk Haven, which is dedicated to skunk rescue, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Tuesday.

"Skunkfest includes contests for talent, beauty, personality and costumes.

"People think it's odd to own a skunk, but they're soft and cuddly," skunk owner and contest judge Jeri Lynn Poling told the Plain Dealer. "I personally think having a rat or a lizard or a snake is weird."

"I've had raccoons, foxes, coyotes, but I like skunks best," she said. "Life can be stressful. But you sit there in the evening with a skunk in your lap and it calms you right down."