Young people in Argentina — calling themselves “therians” — say they identify mentally, spiritually or psychologically as animals. The trend has taken over Argentine social media over the past few months, gaining traction on platforms like TikTok, where the hashtag #therian has surpassed 2 million posts. The surge has drawn the attention of the public and media outlets, sparking reactions that range from laughter and bewilderment to outright anger. As the movement gains traction, psychologists are stepping in to analyze the phenomenon and its place in public discourse. A woman named Agar, who claims to identify as a Belgian Malinois and counts her age as the equivalent of two years and two months in dog years, says she’s a lot like any other teenager. “I wake up like a normal person and live my life like a normal person,” she said. "I simply have moments when I like being a dog.” As the leader of what she calls her “pack,” Agar has more than 125,000 followers on TikTok. Aru, a 16-year-old who wore a seal mask to the park meetup, said she considers herself part of the “otherpaw” branch of therians: individuals who wear masks and tails or move on all fours just for fun. Should parents be worried? Débora Pedace, a psychologist and director of the Integral Therapeutic Center in Buenos Aires, acknowledged that the phenomenon generates a complex mix of confusion, laughter and even anger. “From a psychological standpoint, this is a symbolic identification with an animal,” Pedace said. “It becomes pathological or alarming only when it turns into a deeply rooted belief and the person fully assumes the role of an animal, potentially leading to self-harm or hurting others.”
