NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio — For Bryan Thornburg of Warrensville, Pennsylvania, this Saturday is a day he looks forward to.

“It’s a long drive but it’s worth it,” Thornburg said.

He and his fiancée have attended Skunk Fest for the past five years. But this year was different because they brought along Snickers, their very own pet skunk.

Snickers joined dozens of other furry competitors vying for titles such as Skunk King and Queen during the 25th annual festival, held Saturday at South Central Park.

The event, organized by Skunk Haven, drew more than 3,000 attendees from across the country and marked a milestone for the nation’s premier domestic skunk rescue.

Skunk Haven founder Deb Cipriani launched the festival in 2001 after rescuing her first skunk, Daisy. Since then, what started as a

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