From TikTok to public spaces: ‘Therian’ teens embrace animal identities

A youth-driven trend of teens and young adults identifying with animals surges across social media.

At the center of the trend is therianthropy. Individuals—primarily adolescents and young adults—experience a persistent, internal connection to a specific non-human animal, called a theriotype. Participants emphasize that it is not a biological claim nor a costume-based game. They describe a spiritual, psychological, or symbolic affinity that some say helps them feel connected to nature and to themselves. Common animal references include cats, bears, foxes, wolves, and birds.

In cities across Latin America and Europe, sightings of small gatherings, costume pieces, and performative gestures have drawn large groups of curious spectators. In Colombia, informal meetups have been reported in Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali. Individual stories vary. One 20-year-old community organizer in Spain describes coordinating a small local group and tracing his connection to several animals over years of exploration.

Another long-time participant in Barcelona frames his identification with a wolf through a sense of past-life continuity. A viral case from Japan involves a person who reportedly spent 12,000 euros on a hyperrealistic border collie suit for public walks, blurring lines between performance, craft, and identity presentation.

Psychologists have cast both therian and furry communities as expressions of deeper identity conflicts. They suggest that what looks like playful symbolism can also serve as a call for attention and acceptance when familial or social support feels insufficient. Other sociologists have likened the scene to earlier youth subcultures—such as punks or emos—predicting that it may consolidate into a recognizable urban tribe without necessarily implying pathology.

Some participants practice “quadrobics” or “quadrupedia,” a set of movement exercises meant to imitate animal locomotion as a form of self-expression rather than performance. Community members describe both spiritual and psychological pathways to this identity. Some feel tied to animals through ideas of past lives. Others say their sense of self formed around non-human models in the absence of strong human role models. Confusion with the furry fandom is frequent.

Therians report a personal, sometimes profound non-human identification. The furry community revolves around fan culture with anthropomorphic characters without requiring that kind of identity claim. Other adjacent trends have also surfaced, such as “hobby dogging,” in which people simulate the routines of a dog walk—sometimes even on an empty leash—as a form of outdoor leisure and structure without the responsibilities of pet ownership.

Videos tagged with related terms generate massive view counts on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and X. Podcasts and explainer channels have helped turn an obscure phenomenon into a global discussion topic. Public events have faced mixed receptions, with some canceled due to threats or planned disruptions.

“We’re not talking about a disorder per se,” said Amaya Prado, a clinical child psychologist and member of the Madrid College of Psychology, HOLA! reported. She described a search for shared or symbolic identity that ties adolescents to emotional or spiritual traits they associate with a chosen animal. Prado compared the dynamic to otaku culture among manga and anime fans. She advised families to avoid alarm and support teens’ explorations. “They’re looking for spaces where they feel seen, where they’re not the only ‘different’ ones,” she said. “Feeling validated at this age is extremely important.”

Psychology professor Óliver Serrano described therians as analogous to earlier youth subcultures such as punk or emo, according to Última Hora, as cited by Vanitatis. Experts added that warning signs such as isolation, disconnection from reality, or significant distress warrant attention from mental health professionals, while noting these issues do not necessarily originate in therian identification, according to Vanitatis.

Prado urged parents to stay calm, listen without ridicule, and focus on understanding the needs the identification may meet. She advised allowing appropriate forms of expression and maintaining boundaries that protect respectful coexistence at home and in public.

Clinical psychology does not classify therian identity as a disorder because identity beliefs, in themselves, are not considered pathological unless they cause significant distress, loss of contact with reality, or impairment across work, school, or relationships. The rare and clinically recognized condition of clinical lycanthropy—delusional beliefs of transforming physically into an animal—remains distinct from the symbolic identification described by therians. Psychologists and counselors advise parents to focus on practical indicators. They suggest watching whether a teen differentiates between symbol and reality, continues to perform at school, maintains friendships, and shows stable mood and sleep.

Red flags include isolation, declining grades, loss of interest in prior activities, irritability, insomnia, marked mood swings, self-harm, or rigid literal beliefs of animal transformation that begin to erode daily functioning. Some clinicians interpret the appeal of therian identity as a search for belonging and validation among those experiencing loneliness or low self-esteem. Others see it as a possible cry for help in the face of identity crises if it replaces engagement with other areas of life.