Spending for spooning. Coinage for canoodles. Funded fondles. OK, we’ll stop. But listen: Jackie Samuel, 29, runs a company called The Snuggery out of her Rochester, New York home. She says the non-sexual service is a way to encourage human touch and provide “a healing connection.”

She isn’t the crack-pot hippy you may imagine. Samuel holds a bachelor’s degree in brain and cognitive science from the University of Rochester, but was kicked off the graduate program at Nazareth College, who said the pictures on her website were “provocative and inappropriate and unprofessional.”

While Samuels claims her service improves “elevated blood pressure, cortisol levels and heart rate,” critics have said her snuggle business is just a cover for prostitution.

The Daily reports:

Samuel said she has received nasty emails calling her a prostitute, but insists her unorthodox business — which does not allow sexual activity or nudity — is completely legitimate.

Her mostly male clients must adere to strict rules. They are not allowed to touch any parts of her body “covered by underwear” and she wears pajamas during all sessions.

She’s really busy too, and is opening a new location with another snuggler. She needed to, as at her busiest, she was snuggling for 30 yours a week. Which is a little insane. “That was, like, way too much,” she said. “I don’t think it’s psychologically healthy. I felt weird.”

I can see a place like this opening in Noordhoek pretty soon. Kaapse Cuddles? What do you think?

[Source: The Daily]