We Went to the World's Largest Skunk Convention 

"I've had cats, I've had dogs, I've had gerbils, I've had rabbits... but skunks grab your heart." WATCH NEXT: The Westminster Dog Show... on Acid! - vice.video/2xEqFIc

"no, unfortunately she got murdered and decapitated" WELL THAT WENT FROM 0 TO 100 REAL QUICK

I'm sure Deb has all the best intentions however, having 50 + skunks in cages is animal hoarding. I'm a veterinary technician and when she was trying to rationalize the fact that they just throw up and have seizures because they are hungry and have low blood glucose was sickening. How about feeding them 3 times a day then ? These animals deserve better 😔

Almost 4 am and here I am...watching a mini skunk documentary.

Taji was beyond the perfect person to send, seeing him in Deb’s house was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen, and he didn’t even have to say a word.

I'm a fan of the idea of having pet skunks if you want them. But keeping tons of them in that crowded, filthy house in tiny crammed cages where they pace back and forth all day and vomit from hunger doesn't seem like rescue. Seems like hoarding. As a side note- this interviewer is my favorite. Love all his stuff.

That one lady with the 50 skunks is very knowledgeable but I don’t think that’s a good environment for the skunks to be in....the house is small so it seems like the skunks don’t have much room to walk around. And she keeps them in wire bottom cages it’s all just kinda off to me...anyone else feel the same?

SKUNKS IN LITTLE CAGES... HOW IS THAT LOVE? It breaks my heart.

such a gorgeous couple at the end with the service skunk! never knew they were so smart but the fact the skunk can pull that guy out of seizures in AMAZING! wishing them a happy marriage and a long life with their skunk

“And the winner is, as always..... MY SKUNK!” I bet they all hate her for rigging this thing year after year

No one seems concerned that the organizer and head of the event consistently wins...

The trans man with the service skunk made me tear up. He seemed so damn proud of his skunk being the first service skunk. That's pride right there. What a wonderful thing to do for your anniversary.

I fully appreciate how odd this community is and how kind Taji is to the interviewees

The owner and her friends won the skunk contest multiple years in a row... seems legit!

"Welcome to Skunk Haven" Starts playing shady horror movie music...

There's a family of skunks that pass thru my backyard every night. Occasionally I leave them some leftover fruits or vegetables etc. They seem pretty happy with that and look great. It's quite enough interaction for me as well. Removing a wild animal from its habitat, taking away its natural defenses just to keep it in a cage and parade it around in costumes is abusive and, quite frankly, insane!

Taj looks terrified in the skunk lady's house. Lol

If someone took me to an event called Skunk Fest, I’d be expecting weed!

Only reason aliens haven't wiped us out yet is that we've very entertaining.

aww the ending with the dedication to pepe was so cute. RIP! such a horrific thing to happen. i cant imagine the trauma and pain both the skunk and owner went thru

13:03 Check out his micro expression when he says "that's really awful to hear that happened." There's a definite smirk there.

How can you run the competition and also compete? Does no one at Skunk Fest have a problem with this?

I call bull on the "queen". She is the FOUNDER. She shouldn't be allowed to be in contest. She can LITERALLY just make herself win.

Never heard of skunks being pets, its great, they are sweet and the lady seems comforted by them, but weirds me out to see that people create pets in a planned way by domesticating them, breeding them, descenting them, making them depending on you, nurture/ nature, no, we need more nature, definitely, to me, this also has a whiff of human selfishness. Cool video Vice !

This is a totally different Taji! Dude, you killed it in this episode with the confidence! And everyone was obviously comfortable with you. You're my inspiration to get out there as an introvert, so thanks 😁

“I love this animal so much that I keep it locked up in a cage it’s entire life.” How miserable. You don’t love the animal at that point, you just love HAVING the animal.

Yeah...Deborah is animal-hording. People do it with rescue dogs and stuff too. It seems like someone who is as into skunks as her should've imagined at some point what it might be like to be always cooped up in a kennel that's in a small house; pretty awful. I'd rather die than have that kind of life.

That woman’s house was absolutely frightening😱😱😱

this was so much more wholesome than i expected, i nearly cried

The skunk that can sense seizures is pretty incredible, and the guy seemed interesting enough to get his own Vice special too, his interview was a rollercoaster.

The service skunk should have won something just for stopping seizures

the couple with the seizure-alert service skunk was so sweet!!! it's so hard to get any animal trained to be able to alert seizures, let alone an animal that is rarely domesticated!!!

This guy would make a warzone enjoyable to watch

Looks like a hoarder situation. Too many and the house is a mess.

It feels like the presenter is like a character in a mocumentary.

I had a pet skunk while I was in high school. Wonderful fellow! When I went away to college I did give him to the vet tech and she took excellent care of him for many years. They're now illegal in Georgia to own

I love this enterviewr... made this so enjoyable to have someone like him ! Others would not be able to do it as good as this one

I'm all for exotic pets but this woman needs more resources for her skunks or some sort of help...her house looked like hoarders smfh

this presenter is comedy gold without trying haha

Everytime i go camping in bodega bay, Ca, i get the same spot, and i hangout with skunks, foxes, and racoons at night. The skunks are always the friendliest and cutest.

This video touched my heart in a special way. Thank you

This guy is a slightly darker version of Micheal Cera

I love this series. Taji's awkwardness is the bow on top.

They are adorable animals. I loved the part about the couple with the service skunk. Well done

Some people are on such weird trips and i love it

16:30 “haha yeah good luck” *looks him up and down flirtatiously*

“Unfortunately she got murdered and decapitated” *record scratches * WE MUST AVENGE PEPPY THE SKUNK!!!!

I love what he said at the end so much that I had to listen to it multiple times!

There’s some malarkey going on here with the “ADA-certified service skunk.” Whether or not the animal can detect seizures, which would be impressive, there are two main issues: • The ADA is a federal law, it is not a certifying agency. There are no federal certificates for service animals. • The ADA allows for only two species to be classified as service animals - dogs and miniature horses. All other animals are specifically prohibited from that designation. The owner may have gotten some online certification, and the skunk may be a therapy or emotional support animal, but it’s not legally a service animal. It is not afforded the same rights nor protections as a service animal. In many states, ownership may still require a wildlife handler’s license and possibly land ownership with further restrictions. I’m not fussing about the semantics for their own sake, mind you, but there are many people with trained and qualifying service animals who are still being denied access in part because other people want to ... raise a stink ... about claiming equal rights for some more exotic animal. It can turn into a real ... dog-and-pony show. I’ll see myself out.

It is said that hundreds of confused potheads show up to skunk fest every year, but end up quite enticed by the furry creatures.

They look like they are living in the 90s lmao. Shit reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

This is my favorite video from this series

This is some really good journalism. Didn't think I'd get quite as many laughs among other emotions from this skunk documentary. Wow.

it's a pretty bad look to be the organizer and win back to back years. just saying...

Lmfao when the vet talks about descenting the skunks " You'll know you've screwed up in a heartbeat."

I have to say it seems that you went into this to document an oddity and no doubt it is but I have to say people who love animals have a level of passion that can't be measured by people who don't have it. And I get that it's a thing that is specific to a particular animal. It just goes to show how skunks can be absolutely kind and enjoy getting pet and just want to have a nice life. Really all animals do. I really enjoyed watching this program thank you so much for making it. I wish you would do a 2022 version if that's even a thing! LOL

A pic of her, her skunk, and Mario Lopez?!?! 🤣🤣🤣 the Internet is 🔥 🔥 😂😝

I feel so bad for the woman who lost pepe, I actually teared up a bit. I couldn't imagine one of my pets getting murdered and brought back to me like that I would lose my shit

Skunk heaven!!!! Wtf It looked more like a skunk prison...

This is the best video I’ve ever seen. Thank you

"Sir your car wreaks of marijuana" "Oh thats just my pet skunk"

Aw, skunks are cute as heck. Gotta say, if you are running/judging a competition, you shouldn't also be able to enter it.

Imagine wild skunks sneaking into skunk fest n sneak spraying everyone

This is so wholesome, I love it

Well, this video made my day. I am still smiling.

Ding ding ding! And there is the trigger for being obsessed, "My mom died and I bought a skunk to fill her void"

The woman's story of her skunk getting decapitated and brought back in a body bag broke my heart. 😢

They are just absolutely precious 💕💕💕

I love that couple with the service skunk. I had no idea skunks could be trained like that.

“I bought my first skunk to fill the void.”

"This week, on 'Hoarders', a house filled to the ceiling with stacks of paper and junk and overrun by not rats, but skunks..."

This is kind of adorable and heart warming but also kind of sad and pathetic at the same time.

This was a great doc. Ty

This guys voice really fits this video

i love skunks. but that one lady takes crazy cat lady to a new level.

The story about Pepe is super sad. I don't know how I'd react if "the authorities" came to kidnap and murder my pet. That seems unimaginable.

I do not know why, but stuff like this makes me love this country for a split second.

That skunk haven place doesn't seem very humane to me...

Is it me or was he really struggling not to laugh when he was talking to that woman about pepe 😂😂

Lmao, the intro to Deb's house with skunks frolicking to eerie music reminds me of the Guinea Pig South Park episode "Ah I'm so startled!"

That was an awesome video-! Thanks so much-! The end was great with the song and the tiaras-! Perfect-! LoL

Quick, Quick! Feeding time, they are going hypoglycemic, puking, seizing, AHHHH!

"It's very stiff competition." No...actually it's not. Everyone already knows the organizer wins every year...imagine my shock!

The music that start playing when they crowned the Queen... I lost it 🤣

Just Love This channel.. Always surprising me. Good Work. 👍👍👍👍

wait those skunks in the cages at skunk “haven” looked like they were losing it 😓

When cat ladies don't have cats

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL the interviewer seem like he has no interest in skunks and i think he sees them as all crazy people

People love their Animals no matter what Some dedicated individuals are involved in that skunk fest. Im glad they all have a place to go and meet up once a year to be together and share that common love for the skunks. Once a year they get to meet up with individuals just like them selves.

Who put that scary music in for skunk haven!? 😂🙌🏼

Did I really just watch a 20 minute documentary about skunks

Excellent piece. Fascinating, beautiful and beneficial animals. I didn't know that they could also be service animals. amazing.

This lady is awesome! God bless them all..

I've always wanted a pet skunk after watching Bambi. Flower was the cutest! 😂

Rumor has it when that person goes into seizures the skunk crawls over their face and farts to wakem back up

Lovley your documentaries are fantastic big fan 👏

🤣😂😂😂 The editing is freaking AMAZING 👏 😆😆

i like how horror music starts playing when he enters the skunk zone

reporter:*looks at obituary*" this is cool"

The skunk picture with Mario Lopez is hilarious 😂