Psychology assistant professor Sonia Kong from the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) shares her life with a unique companion named Saturday, who happens to be a pet chicken. Describing Saturday as adorable with yellow feathers and a small head, Kong notes her pet’s shyness and sensitivity, especially during egg-laying moments.
Kong, alongside colleague Tracy Wong from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, is involved in a global study exploring how pet relationships influence the social and emotional growth of teenagers in diverse cultural contexts. Saturday, at 11 months old, was christened after the day Kong brought her home from a farm near Prince George, inspired by Kong’s fond childhood memories of raising chickens and ducks.
The chicken, Saturday, plays a significant role in providing Kong with emotional support, leading to a strong bond between them. Kong has even crafted a customized diaper for Saturday to prevent any messes while accompanying her on city errands. Kong emphasizes the intelligence of chickens, highlighting how Saturday displays empathy towards her emotions, offering comfort during times of sadness.
In various cultures, pets hold different values, with Western societies often valuing them as companions while others utilize them for practical purposes like protection or food. Kong aims to investigate how spending time with pets impacts adolescents across different cultural backgrounds, recognizing potential cultural disparities related to pet interactions.
Through an online survey, adolescents are invited to share their perspectives on pets, contributing to the ongoing research project. Starting data collection in Hong Kong, Kong and her team are actively seeking more participants from Canada to enrich the study’s findings.