A woman who claims to “identify” as a dog shared insights into her daily life and what her canine behaviors looked like, including sleeping in a crate, enjoying treats, and having “handlers” who assist her, all while livestreaming her exploits.
The woman, who is ironically known as “Meow” on social media, appeared on Australia’s KIIS FM The Kyle & Jackie O Show on Thursday (March 14) to open up about what it meant to live life as a dog, more precisely, a Dalmatian.
Meow told hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson how she slept in a crate and was even rewarded with dog treats by her handlers who helped to look after her.
A woman who goes by "Meow" said she identified as a female Dalmatian
Image credits: meowdalyn
Livestreaming her canine lifestyle on gaming platform Twitch, she explained how she would bark and run on all fours, as per the DailyMail.
The pretend-female Dalmatian further shared that sleeping in her crate helped her to feel “safe” at night.
She said: “I have pastel blankets and pastel pillows in there, something about being in a confined space, I don’t know if it makes me feel safe from the world or makes me feel like the world is safe from me but it feels [like] comfort for sure!”
Image credits: meowdalyn
Meow continued: “It can fit me, the rule of thumb with a dog is that if they can stand up in it, then it’s big enough for them, so as long as I’m on all fours standing up.”
Upon being asked to clarify if she had taken on the entire identity of a dog or if it was a simple “feeling,” Meow admitted that she was a “dog girl” and that she had always loved to “play.”
Meow said: “I think that the wonder that comes with play and just being enchanted with life around you is a beautiful thing.
“I’m not sure if I ever put two and two together that I had to stop that whenever I became an adult.
“I figured that once I make my own money and pay my own rent, then I can extra do anything I want, and I wanted to be a dog!”
Meow revealed that she slept in a crate and was even rewarded with dog treats by her handlers
Image credits: meowdalyn
The lady dog went on to confess that she didn’t have a boyfriend, but she had “handlers,” clarifying that her relationship with them was a non-sexual one.
She explained: “I have handlers. Kind of like dog trainers.
“They feed me, they take me on walks, we practice training, which is one of my favorite things because I get treats.”
The treats, she said, consisted of chicken, jerky, and, sometimes, dog biscuits. Moreover, she would also sometimes consume dog food as a meal.
“It’s a little bland, I like to put bone broth or some other additives in there,” she admitted.
Image credits: meowdalyn
Meow also stated that she didn’t pay her handlers, who reportedly consisted of two to three people.
“It’s funny I don’t have to pay anyone to spend time with me.”
The pretend-pooch said that she felt “more human” by being in touch with the “primal, animalistic” side of her personality, and she said she doesn’t worry about what anyone thinks of her, as per the British tabloid.
Meow said: “I don’t find myself focusing on other people and their reactions toward me because I’m so in the moment of just chasing the ball, being the dog, I want to sit and perform for whoever is my focus.”
Meow clarified that her relationships with her handlers were non-sexual
On her website, Meow specified that she wasn’t a furry (someone who is interested in anthropomorphic animal characters, often depicted with human-like traits, such as walking and talking), but that she was instead classified as an “inumimi.”
According to TV Tropes, Inumimi (“Dog Ears”) is a romance manga series about dogs with human bodies.
Meow could also be classified as an “otherkin,” a subculture of people who identify as something other than human.
Identifying as animals may be a tool for some people to explore their inner spirituality, feelings of connection, or sense of self, Sportskeeda reported.
The outlet further stated that it was crucial to highlight that these ideas of identifying as animals are currently regarded as subcultural and are not generally embraced by mainstream psychology and science.
"She's not hurting anyone," a reader commented
