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In Portugal, a growing social media trend is sparking a very real-world response from professionals, and it has nothing to do with pets.
More young people in the country are identifying as “therians” or “beast-like individuals,” a community where people say they feel a deep connection to animals and sometimes adopt animal-like behavior, from barking or meowing to moving on all fours or wearing animal-style accessories.
The trend, which has gained traction mainly on platforms like TikTok, has now become widespread enough that Portugal’s Veterinary Association has felt the need to step in with a formal public clarification.
Their message is simple: veterinarians treat animals, not humans, even if those humans believe they are animals.
The association said it had received requests from some individuals asking for veterinary services, based on the belief that their self-identified “animal identity” entitled them to animal-style medical care.
That prompted an official reminder to professionals that Portuguese law does not recognize any legal status for a human being as an animal, regardless of personal identity or behavior.
In its statement, the group stressed that anyone who presents themselves in this way is still legally a human being and must be treated as such. Veterinarians, it added, are not permitted to diagnose, prescribe, or treat humans under any circumstances.
The association also advised vets on how to handle such situations if they arise in clinics or practices; essentially, they should respond calmly, clearly, and professionally and explain that medical care for humans falls outside their field.
Put simply: if someone walks into a veterinary clinic expecting treatment because they identify as a dog, cat or fox, the answer is still no.
The phenomenon itself is not entirely new, but it has become far more visible online, where videos show people dressing in animal costumes and mimicking animal behavior as part of their identity expression.
Supporters of the movement describe it as a form of self-expression and emotional identity, while critics argue it blurs boundaries in ways that can lead to confusion in real-life settings, such as healthcare.
For now, Portugal’s veterinary body says it has no issue with how people choose to express themselves, but it is drawing a clear line when it comes to medical responsibility.
And that line, at least in their world, is straightforward: if you need a doctor, go to a doctor, not a vet.
