March 2022 Creature Feature - Nicki Honey!

The pet play lifestyle is full of so many voices that make it unique and vibrant. To showcase this, every month we will be shining the spotlight on a particular human animal or Handler in our community. Let's hear what makes every pet player special! This month, we talked with an Albuquerque-based pet who often lights up our Los Angeles community. She identifies as a puppy, a baby dragon, and a monkey - wow! We loved getting to know all about this sweet pet, and we're sure you will, too. Introducing...

NICKI HONEY!

Please introduce yourself, your pronouns, and how you identify in pet play.

Nicki Honey. She pronouns. I play as a puppy, a baby dragon, and if you're unlucky, a monkey. I would love to explore more handler roles, especially as a little who's best pals with a pet.

How did you discover your pet play identities?

Before I really understood pet play, I embodied being a pup through service to my partners and needing tons of praise. My actual pet play head spaces started to develop at the overlap of being a little and having a bunch of cute puppy friends. I really enjoy leaning deeply into the freedom of play, imagination, and releasing shame. I found my silly puppy and dragon headspaces through a desire to engage people who are also experiencing freedom from scripting and needing to engage "correctly" as a human. Being a pet created space to move away from arbitrary human rules.

What are your favorite pet play activities?

My favorite pet play activity is moshing with my pet friends! I love playing in puppy pits and big cuddle puddles when everyone is tuckered out!

What is the pet play community like where you live?

I just moved to Albuquerque last year and it's been tough trying to find pet play community out here during a panera [pandemic], but I've recently been trying to be a brave pup and make it out to events when I can. I still consider the LA kink community to be my community and try to visit as much as I can. Nothing beats how well thought out and special SoCal Creature's events are :)

How do you hope to see the pet play community (local to you or at large) grow in the near future?

I hope to see more non-cis dudes and BIPOC take up more space in the events everywhere. As I grow into the community here in Albuquerque, I'd love to travel in packs at community events and be a part of co-creating feelings of safety and belonging for femmes, gnc [gender non-conforming] folks, trans folks, and women so we can all play together and have access to each other's magic.

What do you love most about pet play?

My favorite thing about pet play is the community. I'm a very slow-to-warm shy person and there is nothing more welcoming then a bunch of creatures who are ready to play with you and welcome you into the fun. I feel like everywhere I've gone, if I'm too shy to be a human, it's easy to be a brave pet and get others to be silly with me. I also love the treats!

Keep up with Nicki Honey by following her on Instagram @thedivineshift

February 2022 Creature Feature - Pup Cupid!

The pet play lifestyle is full of so many voices that make it unique and vibrant. To showcase this, every month we will be shining the spotlight on a particular human animal or Handler in our community. Let's hear what makes every pet player special!

Who better to feature for the month of Valentines than a sweet, snuggly puppy? We loved getting to know all about this Aussie/Husky mix, who brings boundless love and joy to all she meets. Introducing...

CUPID!

Please introduce yourself, your pronouns, and how you identify in pet play.

Hello! My name is Cupid, my pronouns are she/her and I identify as a puppy! *WOOF!~*

Cupid is a 6 month old Aussie [Australian Shepherd] x Husky puppy. Cupid has a specific age because she is a mix of pet play and age play. Never could separate the two. I would describe Cupid as brave, bratty, but sometimes [she] can be just a silly girl. Cupid got her name because of how lovey dovey she can be! Cupid absolutely loves doting on her furends and giving them affection. She is quite the snuggle pup and is wholeheartedly loyal to those closest around her.

How did you discover your pet play identity?

Discovering I was a puppy was a bit of a process for me. When I first learned about the pet play scene, girls were only kittens. I thought that was the box I had to fit into, but it always felt off. I never connected to the traits of cat girls. I early on decided my personality fit more to a K9, specifically a baby K9 Puppy!

At the time, I was very insecure with my puppy identity. I was flooded my male pups and it was incredibly discouraging. I used to introduce myself for the longest time as “kitty with puppy tendencies." I just really wanted to fit in and be able to be a part of a group. Luckily, there's now a bunch of different pets of all genders and I feel like I no longer have to hide my true self.

What are your favorite pet play activities?

As a puppy, I really enjoy attention and connection. I absolutely love playing with my pet furends and stealing all of the squeaky toys! Recently, my daddy and I have been working on training, but as a dumb puppy you can guess how that may be going… My little puppy brain can only focus for so much time! Sit, lay, roll over, I can never really tell the difference. After a mosh, my favorite thing to do is curl up in daddy's lap for some nice decompressing pets. It really helps me reset after the exhilaration of romping with my furends.

How, if at all, do your intersections of identity influence your pet play?

I identify as a bisexual cis hispanic woman. Alongside not finding a lot of puppy girls in general at first, finding pet players of color was not a norm. The stereotypes of pet play was tiny girls wearing cat ears and muscly men wearing a pup hood. It was empowering to myself to break these norms and also find others who were doing the same. I use my pet play to connect with others, usually I am kind of a shy person but in the kink world in general, I feel like I can come out of shell and be who I am fully with no judgment.

What are your pet play goals for the coming years?

It is incredibly important to me to build connections and relationships. I thrive on socialization and I think the "panda express" [aka the pandemic] really snuffed out that fire. I want to meet so many pets and go to pet events. I think eventually, I would like to get a big ol' house and fill it with my furends to live happily ever after.

What advice would you give to new pet players entering the community?

I would say get involved as soon and as much as you can. Having the support of my community behind has made me grow not just in my petself but as a person! Follow pets you like on Instagram, join our Discord, go to events! Most importantly, make furends <3 Start Your Search on the SoCal Creatures Instagram! Click Here to Join Our Discord!

What do you love most about pet play?

If I were to be completely 100% honest... I love how much attention I get as a puppy. I imagine sometimes I'm the puppy that a guy in those cheesy movies uses to lure in girls. Happy little puppy getting grabbed by oh so many hands… *Drool* ANYWAY!

Pet play allows me to be playful, creative and ultimately myself. I love my community and the escape I get from grueling reality. It's a space like no other that I've experienced and there's so many avenues of pet play to choose from.

Have you been struck by Cupid's arrow? Follow her on Instagram at @knotty_puppy and @cupid_the_love_puppy

January 2022 Creature Feature - Ruby!

The pet play lifestyle is full of so many voices that make it unique and vibrant. To showcase this, every month we will be shining the spotlight on a particular human animal or Handler in our community. Let's hear what makes every pet player special!

We're starting off the new year with a a switchy bisexual poodle who loves all things cute, sweet, and colorful! They are also the newly awarded LA Alpha Beta Pup for 2022. We can't wait to hear what they have to share with our pawsome community. Introducing...

RUBY!

Please introduce yourself, your pronouns, and how you identify in pet play.

Hello! My name is Ruby and I use he/she/they pronouns. I'm a switchy bisexual poodle that loves all things cute, sweet, and colorful!

How did you discover your pet play identity?

I don't think there was any major event or time period that led me to discover pet play. I remember when I was in first grade, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up for the school yearbook. While the other kids all said they wanted to be teachers or firefighters, I said I wanted to become a dog. So eventually, I did! I learned more about the sexual aspects as I grew older, but it's definitely been a part of my identity for much longer.

What are your favorite pet play activities?

These days my favorite pet play activity is performing at events like LA Pup and Puppypalooza. I've always been quite the exhibitionist, and I love designing cute costumes and outfits. I also like being walked around on a leash, begging for yummy treats, and barking as loud as I can!

How, if at all, do your intersections of identity influence your pet play?

One of my favorite things about the LA petplay community is that it's so diverse. It's actually one of the only spaces where I can closely interact with other queer black people, so that's very special to me. The community is also very understanding of my autism and mental health issues. It's great to have a community where I can just be myself without trying to squeeze into any tiny boxes.

What inspired you to run in the LA Pup 2022 title competition?

This is a bit embarrassing, but I actually knew next to nothing about the competition when I decided to sign up. I thought it was more like Puppypalooza [a pet show for fun as opposed to a competition for a community title]. But as I began to learn more and get to know the people involved, I knew it was something I had to do. The competition really got me out of my shell and immersed in the local scene faster than anything else could have.

How do you hope to see the pet play community grow in the near future?

I want everybody to know that they are welcome in our community. It's important to me that we continue to break down the sexual, racial, and political stereotypes that people have about pet play. I would also love having more events catered towards people that don't have a partner and feel to shy to go alone.

What do you love most about pet play?

My favorite part about pet play is that when I'm in that headspace, it's a mini-vacation from the rest of my life. We all deal with a lot of stress in our daily lives, but when we come together to act silly and kind, somehow that stress just melts away.

To keep up with this playful poodle, follow them on Instagram @rubyyy_cooper!