Mr. Sushi the emotional support skunk boosts morale among first responders, Eastern Iowans

TIFFIN — Mr. Sushi’s destiny has been apparent from Day One.

The North American striped skunk’s first day on the job — the day handler Chris Alberts knew his calling — was on the way home from his breeder in Guttenberg.

Alberts, unprepared to fall in love with a skunk so decisively, had to stop by the farm supply store to get a few things for her new best friend.

A pet in a farm supply store was bound to turn a few heads. But there, every head was turning to the skunk who found his forever home.

Then, the questions started.

“Is that a badger? What is that? Is that a cat?” passersby asked Alberts, unable to resist their curiosity.

But Mr. Sushi’s first test as an emotional support animal was passed with flying colors as he reacted to the first crowd of people he’d ever seen in his life, at just four months old.

The 13-pound skunk, docile and calming by nature, didn’t just turn heads — he captivated their attention. That’s when Alberts realized she hadn’t just adopted a pet — the new duo had found a calling.

“This little guy, he’s going to go places,” she thought.

How it happened

From age 5, Tiffin resident Chris Alberts couldn’t shake her heart’s desire for an unconventional pet. She blames the 1942 Disney film “Bambi” and its lovable cartoon skunk, Flower.

“That kind of triggered something in me, I think,” Alberts said.

Growing up Mennonite in Pennsylvania, she was well in touch with the woodland critters around her backyard — especially the injured ones in need of help from time to time.

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Now a pet groomer and owner of Pawsitive Vibez, she never thought it would be possible to have that kind of pet. But last September, a client reactivated the dream by mentioning a skunk breeder in Iowa.

In Guttenberg, Mr. Sushi’s birth place, it was love at first sight. There, he was one of the only ones left from his litter — picked over by others. That alone made Alberts’ heart flutter.

But the interaction that sealed the deal was also quite unconventional by pet owner standards. The moment Alberts held Mr. Sushi for the first time, he had an accident.

“He put his paws out and folded (his head) into me and snuggled in,” she said. “It felt right.”

Mr. Sushi’s magic

Today, Mr. Sushi’s title is Emotional Support Animal, but his job goes far beyond his handler.

Since January, Alberts has taken the skunk, now almost 1 year old, on near-daily trips. In the last four months, he has seen thousands of people.

Ironically, the only place he has ever been kicked out is Petco — the staff thought he was a wild animal.

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“He’s such a morale boost. He rarely has people turn up their noses at him, even though he’s a skunk,” she said. “I just wanted to share him.”

But it’s not just errands, schools or retirement homes. Mr. Sushi’s mission extends to another passion of Alberts: supporting local heroes.

Kids are an easy crowd for emotional support animals. Cracking a smile from the world’s gruffest protectors, on the other paw, is a bigger task.

Yet, Mr. Sushi handles it with ease.

Earlier this year, he garnered one of his most memorable reactions from a police officer on the force for about 30 years. At first, the officer declined to hold the skunk. But at the end of the visit, he reluctantly acceded.

“It was such an emotional experience — this big, gruff cop, just watching that armor melt off and seeing him go from this stoic face to beaming,” Alberts said. “That is why I do this, that’s why I want to share him.”

In other cases, he’s brought tears of joy.

A new nonprofit

Growing up, Alberts always wanted to help veterans and first responders. Through her marriage to a veteran, she’s seen how hard life can be for those who serve their country.

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“Being where I came from, you’re not allowed to be involved in things like that,” she said. “But I couldn’t help it. Moving forward into adult life, I’ve still had that desire.”

For years, the animal lover thought it might take the form of training therapy dogs for veterans. But at age 30, her two childhood desires — a pet skunk and a way to serve the ones who serve others — met in an unlikely place.

With the same kinds of tours they’re already doing, they plan to continue their outreach by forming a new nonprofit: Hanging with Heroes.

“Seeing him change and move the hearts of the most hardened veterans, firefighters or cops … it makes me so happy to see them happy,” Alberts said. “It’s almost like he knows what he’s doing and that he’s needed, emotionally.”

Now, she’s working to get Mr. Sushi certified as a therapy animal — a more stringent standard than emotional support animal — to help them reach others in facilities with stricter animal admission standards, such as hospitals.

He could be the first therapy skunk in Eastern Iowa.

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Skunk questions

Mr. Sushi is almost 1 year old, weighs 13 pounds and measures about 31 inches, toe to tail. When he’s not making people smile, he’s up to a lot of things at his home in Tiffin.

There, he shares a climate-controlled structure of his own with his ferret friend, Moose.

North American striped skunks were previously grouped in the same Mustelidae family of animals as weasels, otters and badgers. Today, they are considered part of the Mephitidae family.

What does he eat?

Skunks are omnivores. Mr. Sushi eats a balanced, raw diet of meat and vegetables. His favorite meat is chicken, and he loves Greek yogurt.

Skunks are prone to diabetes, so Mr. Sushi has to watch his diet carefully.

What is his favorite activity?

Aside from eating, Mr. Sushi loves to dig in a small patch of dirt Alberts calls his “sand box.” With sturdy paws and long claws, skunks are diggers by nature.

Can he spray, and does he stink?

Mr. Sushi is de-scented, so he can’t spray like wild skunks. The procedure to remove the glands that spray is done by a veterinarian and is similar to spaying or neutering a pet.

Mr. Sushi doesn’t stink, but he has a natural musk. He bathes before greeting guests at events.

This year is his first spring, so he is shedding a little more fur than he has throughout the rest of the year.

Where does he go to the bathroom?

Mr. Sushi is in the process of being litter trained. Many skunks are intelligent but stubborn, meaning they can only be trained at their own pace.

How well can he see?

Skunks can only see about 10 feet away. They rely on their sharp sense of smell and hearing.

Is he nocturnal?

Skunks are naturally nocturnal, but can be trained to stay awake during the day and sleep at night in domestication.

What is his coloring pattern called?

Mr. Sushi’s brownish and white coloring pattern is called “smoke and white,” or “cinnamon and white.” In the wild, skunks are typically only black and white.

How long do skunks live?

Domesticated skunks live an average of 12 to 16 years. Skunks have been domesticated in North America for about 60 years.

Is it legal to own skunks?

Iowa is one of only 17 states where it’s legal to own pet skunks. It’s also legal in neighboring states Wisconsin and South Dakota.

Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.

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