--- title: "Emotional Support Chickens Are Now A Thing" date: "2018-06-05" modified: "2018-06-05" authors: - name: "Paul Szoldra" job_title: "Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/paul-szoldra/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/military-life/emotional-support-chickens/" categories: - "Around the World" - "News" - "United States" --- # Emotional Support Chickens Are Now A Thing ![]() You may have heard of emotional support dogs. Now, let me introduce you to emotional support chickens. A disabled Marine named Luke Villotti [was recently profiled]() by the Chicago Tribune, which reported on the ongoing dispute with neighbors over his having 20 chickens in the backyard. The neighbors are annoyed, but the 25-year-old has a letter from his Department of Veterans Affairs counselor saying that chickens can indeed be considered "support animals." "They are very therapeutic," Luke Vilotti [told]() the Chicago Tribune. "They take care of us and we take care of them." I watched the video of him petting a chicken and talking about it as if it were a dog. I love my dogs, but I can't say I really understand the idea of a chicken as taking on a similar role. But who the hell am I to judge? Read [the full story](), and then let me know your thoughts in the comments. ## Author Paul Szoldra was the Editor in Chief of Task & Purpose from October 2018 until August 2022. Since joining T&P, he has led a talented team of writers, editors, and creators who produce military journalism reaching millions of readers each month. He also founded and edits [Duffel Blog](), a popular satirical newsletter for the military. Before becoming a journalist in 2013, he served as a Marine infantryman in Afghanistan, Korea, and other areas of the Pacific. His eyes still go up every time a helicopter from Camp Pendleton flies over his office in Southern California. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [LinkedIn]() [Facebook]() [Instagram]()