Rosey the Skunk 

Doug Hooten did not set out to become “the skunk guy” of Edmond. 

He manages construction and maintenance for the Oklahoma Historical Society, caring for historic sites across the state. At home, he already had a 13-year-old lab. Another big dog was not appealing, and cats were not his thing. So he did what most people would not think to do. 

An Unlikely Pet 

“I googled skunks for sale,” Hooten said, laughing. As a child, he remembered a neighbor who kept one as a pet. “I always wondered what it would be like to have a skunk,” he said. “I thought, how hard is it? What does it cost?” 

After securing a wildlife license and placing a deposit with a USDA breeder, he waited four months. Then Rosey arrived. Eight pounds, descented, and full of personality. “They’re kind of a combination of a dog and a cat,” he said. “She uses a litter box. I built her a condo in the house with a nesting box. When I’m home, she’s just hanging out with me.” 

Letting a Skunk Be a Skunk 

In the summer, Rosey walks on a leash around their mile-long neighborhood loop. She hunts for crickets and frogs, foraging the way a skunk would in the wild. “I let her have every opportunity to be a skunk,” Hooten said. 

On days they cannot walk, he hides her food in a box of wood chips so she can forage for her food. Scrambled eggs are a favorite. So are broccoli, carrots, and cheese. It was an omelet, though, that launched what friends now call the “Rosey Breakfast Club.” 

The Rise of the Rosey Breakfast Club 

“I was sitting at Around the Corner one day watching people walk their dogs,” he said. “I thought, what if I walked my skunk?” The idea stayed with him. So the next time he visited the café, he brought her along and he ordered her an omelet, and they enjoyed their breakfast together. Understandably, this drew attention. People started conversations, began asking questions, and of course, wanted to hold the black and white beauty. 

“If I handed her to you, you’d hold her like a baby, and she’d just lie there,” he said. “It’s always funny to me that when a woman holds her, they automatically bounce her like a baby, but when she comes to me, she crawls up on my shoulder. She knows that’s how we roll.” 

Rosey now makes weekly breakfast appearances, visits local businesses, and even stops by the farmers’ market, where vendors save scraps just for her visits. “It is not about shock value,” Hooten said. “It’s fun to see how people react, they don’t expect her to be friendly and sweet.” 

Ten months in, Rosey has become more than a pet. She is a conversation starter. A shoulder-percher. A reminder that sometimes the most unexpected things can bring a community together. 

And no, she does not stink. 

Follow Rosey’s adventures on Instagram at @Rosey_TheSkunk25