Pet Play Vs Human Pets
Pet play, or animal play, is a fairly common activity, but it’s also very commonly confused with ‘human pets’ - two very different play styles, and potentially very different identities.
If you’ve ever been to a large Pride event that included a dedicated BDSM area, or you’ve scrolled through fetish-related social media, or you’ve been in the lifestyle for more than a few hours, the chances are you’ve encountered some form of pet play.
What is Pet Play?
Pet play is a mindset or roleplay activity wherein bottoms adopt the mannerisms of an animal.
Commonly, this takes the form of a puppy or kitten, but any animal can be the identifier. Pony Play is often considered a form of pet play, although it has its own subculture. A pet player may form a dynamic with a D-type known as a Master, Handler, or Owner, but there’s no strict rule against a Dominant, Master, or even a Top taking control of the scenes.
Pet play will often include specific activities, dependent on the ‘pet’ in question and the dynamic that’s formed. Many pet players enjoy obedience training, wearing a collar, being hand-fed, and even enacting the sounds and physical behaviours of pets.
Types of Pets in Pet Play:
Puppy Play
Puppy Play might involve learning tricks and commands, being kept in a cage, or leash-training. There are also dedicated pup play spaces around the world where several “pups” might play, fight, or train together.
Kitten Play
Kitten Play can involve extensive grooming, petting, drinking from a bowl, ‘sassy’ behaviour toward a D-type, or playing with toys - any of these activities can be involved in a pet play dynamic or scene, along with countless other combinations.
Pony Play
Pony Play is a wildly diverse subset of kinksters, involving showing, riding, competing, and training. Pony Play is so vast, we included a whole article about it!
Common Questions About Pet Play:
Is Pet Play just a role play?
It can be for some, yes. For others, it is an escape from the reality of human existence - in much the same way as age players might regress to the mindset of a child. The extent to which a pet player adopts their role is entirely their choice, and the dynamic they shape with their partner(s) is negotiated just like any other. Pet play doesn’t need to be just for the bedroom - it’s all about personal preference.
Some pet players may feel a spiritual connection with the animal they adopt the persona of, and there are some pet players who choose to live in their animal persona 24/7 as a lifestyle choice.
Is Pet Play a bestiality fantasy?
No. In the same way that age players aren’t pedophiles and caregiver dynamics aren’t all about incest, kinksters that are into pet play aren’t all fantasizing about sex with animals.
Whilst animal play does afford the opportunity to live out erotic fantasies, it’s not the only reason for enjoying this form of play. Kinksters that do become aroused by acting out their fantasies in animal form often adopt the label “autozoophiles”.
What should I wear during Pet Play?
Some dedicated pet players wear masks, costumes, or prosthetics as part of their animal identity, and companies specialising in bondagewear designed for animal play are increasingly widespread. Costumes can range from a simple pair of cat ears, to animal tail butt plugs, to leather masks and training harnesses.
What Is A Human Pet?
A human pet is a form of submissive who may or may not incorporate activities associated with animal pet play into their identity.
Human pets are a complex subset of s-types, and are difficult to define, as the behaviours and mannerisms vary widely depending on the preference of the s-type.
Human pets can range from collared submissives who participate in leash training, to s-types in full costume who acknowledge their humanity, right through to submissives seeking simple companionship with their D-type. D-types may be known as Handlers, Owners, or Masters, just like in animal pet play.
Some human pets completely avoid any animal-related activities, instead preferring to embody emotional support and affection of an actual animal pet without the ‘dress-up’. For example, much like canines are considered ‘Man’s Best Friend’, some human pets take this to heart and provide dedicated company to their Master. However, it’s wise to never assume that a ‘pet’ exhibits any animal behaviour. “Pet” may also simply be used as a term of endearment with no association to animal play.
The key difference between these roles is whether or not the s-type’s humanity is present within their dynamic - get to know the kinkster before you make any assumption about what their ‘pet’ label means to them.
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