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 loved chatting with a bubbly Shiba Inu puppy and occasional kitten, who we are often lucky to have bootblack at our events! Introducing...
OWL!
Please introduce yourself and how you identify in play.
My name is Owl (yes, like the bird)! My pronouns are she/they, and I primarily play as a shiba inu.
I'm a very energetic pup with a bubbly personality, and I'm extremely loyal. I also make a ton of weird noises in classic shiba fashion. I also sometimes play as a clever black kitten, but the kitty only comes out when I'm feeling bratty... or someone puts a krinkle ball in front of me.
How did you first get into pet play and discover your animal identities?
I had always grown up pretending to be an animal whenever I would play pretend with my friends. Turtles on the beach trying to run into the ocean, horses in a rodeo, wolves in the woods - it was kind of always in me. I remember seeing a YouTube video in college, specifically about a pet play group in LA, that brought pet play as a thing adults could do to my attention. I ended up finding the group and went completely alone to my first pet event. It ended up being the most fun I had ever had, and I was hooked and attending as many events as I could ever since!
I had a lot of trouble figuring out my pet identity at first. A lot of the research I was doing made it seem that only men could be pups, and women had to be cats (this was before I knew I was genderqueer), so I initially entered pet play as a kitten. I had some fun with the identity, but it never fully felt like me. For a long time, I constantly switched between kitten, puppy, and fox, basing what pet I was on my current mood, but I longed for one identity I could really attach to. Pup felt the most right, so I ended up researching a ton of breeds, and ended up discovering that shibas lined up really well with my personality, and I've never looked back!
What are your favorite activities as a pet?
My all-time favorite activity is obedience training! I also absolutely love romping around with other pets, performing and competing (like in Puppypalooza), and hunting. I looooove hunting! Anything that's energetic and fun!
What helps you get into your headspace?
I'd like to think my puppy persona is a perpetual part of me. I frequently catch myself doing puppy-like things in my day to day life, or with my loved ones (ask any of my partners and they would agree haha). To get into a specific pet play mindset though, all it takes is putting on my gear and I'm instantly transported into pup-mode. I suddenly want all the head scritches and treats, and could run around on all fours all day!
How, if at all, does your interest in service intersect with pet play?
My service-y nature is very integral to who I am as a person, with it even leaking into my vanilla life, so it's no surprise that it makes its way into my pet space as well. Dogs being naturally obedient, aim-to-please animals is the main reason why I identify as a pup. My dog persona wants to make my handler happy, and do whatever they say. It's also a large reason I love obedience training so much. I recently had a scene where my handler used a foreign language to train me, and their excitement when I would finally understand their command makes me feel truly fulfilled and happy as a pup. I'm always aiming to please!
What do you love most about pet play?
Absolutely the sense of escapism it provides, which I'm sure is a reason for a lot of people haha. Life is so stressful and hard, especially now, and I think we all need a way to get out of our heads and be in the moment. That just happens to be pet play for me. I always so free and unbothered, especially when I'm romping around with friends, it's just the best place to be!
To keep up with this rambunctious pup, follow them on Instagram @owloccult!
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