Argentine Teens Embrace ‘Therian’ Movement, Identifying as Animals

A growing social media trend in Argentina has teenagers dressing as animals and gathering in public spaces as part of the 'therian' movement. These young people say they connect mentally or spiritually with non-human animals, sparking widespread debate and concern among parents and psychologists.

BUENOS AIRES — A public square in Argentina’s capital recently became an impromptu animal habitat as teenagers engaged in an emerging cultural phenomenon that has captivated social media.

During the weekend gathering, Sofia donned a realistic beagle costume and crawled through the grass on her hands and knees. Meanwhile, 15-year-old Aguara jumped over barriers while mimicking the behavior of a Belgian Malinois dog. Additional participants climbed trees while dressed as felines and foxes, maintaining distance from spectators who watched with curiosity.

This meetup represents the growing ‘therian’ community — young people who believe they connect with animals on mental, spiritual, or psychological levels. The movement has exploded across Argentina’s social platforms in recent months, particularly on TikTok where #therian content has exceeded 2 million posts, with Argentina showing the highest participation rates among Latin American nations. The phenomenon has captured attention from content creators and news organizations, generating responses ranging from amusement and confusion to hostility.

Mental health professionals are now examining this trend and its broader cultural implications.

Aguara, who believes she embodies a Belgian Malinois and calculates her age as two years and two months in canine terms, describes her daily routine as typical for someone her age.

‘I wake up like a normal person and live my life like a normal person,’ she explained. ‘I simply have moments when I like being a dog.’

Leading what she describes as her ‘pack,’ Aguara has accumulated over 125,000 TikTok subscribers and organizes frequent gatherings throughout Buenos Aires.

Sixteen-year-old Aru attended the park event wearing a seal costume and identifies with the ‘otherpaw’ subset of therians — participants who don animal accessories or move like animals purely for enjoyment. ‘It’s not necessarily about identifying as an animal,’ she clarified.

Aru believes Argentina’s ‘fairly free’ cultural atmosphere has allowed the therian movement to flourish. Many young Argentines have found the community offers genuine acceptance and belonging.

Mental health expert Débora Pedace, who directs Buenos Aires’ Integral Therapeutic Center, recognizes that this trend creates complicated reactions including bewilderment, humor, and frustration.

‘From a psychological standpoint, this is a symbolic identification with an animal,’ Pedace explained. ‘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.’