SAN ANTONIO — Most of us know that animals can often be relaxing, but some people are taking that idea to a new level.
Move over emotional support hamster.
There's a new animal people like to playfully pet. It is the cuddly, cud-chewing cow!
"It's not my cup of tea if it works for them that's a good thing," said Dr. Harry Croft who told us the idea of emotional support animals, including cows, is expanding.
He said, "It's gotten brought it out to things like ostriches and monkeys."
In upstate New York, stressed out strangers are going to Mountain Horse Farm and even paying to caress their cows 75 dollars an hour!
Dr. Croft said, "It sounds a little silly to me but whatever floats your boat."
According to "One Green Planet," cows form close friendships, they are highly emotional, cows grieve deeply, and cows are affectionate and forgiving.
We sent Eyewitness News reporter Jeremy Baker to the cattle barn at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo to find out what some Future Farmers of America thought about this new trend in cuddling.
None of them had heard of "Cow cuddling," but naturally all of that said at one point or another, they cuddled with their four-legged friends.