While most people love dogs, a 32-year-old man has taken it one step further after he decided to live his life as a domesticated dalmatian.
Tom Peters told U.K.’s This Morning that while he uses his real name when he works at his job as a lighting and theater technician, he likes to be referred to as “Spot” when he transforms into a puppy.
ITV/This Morning
Peters said his dalmatian costume helps him transform into his persona of a puppy, which is a lifestyle he is fully committed to. He sleeps in an enclosure, walks on all fours, and eats from a dog bowl.
He told hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughly “people think of it as seedy and that no one should see it.”
Peters added that contrary to popular belief, people who chose to live their lives as dogs aren’t doing it to cause mischief or sexual pleasure, but rather to “have fun and literally be treated like a puppy.”
ITV/This Morning
“It’s not a sexual thing. It is a lifestyle, it’s just escapism. To get away from fund and the frenetic life we have,” Peters said.
Like real-life dogs, Peters has a human companion: his ex-fiancée Rachel Watson.
The former couple broke up in 2008 after disputes of Peters’s unusual lifestyle, but insist they’re still “best friends.” Watson even said the pair are even closer now than when they were in a romantic relationship.
Channel 4
Peters will be featured in the documentary, Secret Life of the Human Pups. According to Newsweek, he joins the 10,000 people who cosplay in England.
“I’d never seen anything like that before. On the surface you’d think it was a few people dressing up as dogs behind closed doors,” director Guy Simmonds said. “But the more we researched it, the more surprised I was to learn how large the community was in the U.K. They’ve got their own social networking sites, events and competitions.”
Psychotherapist Wendy Bristow said it’s not uncommon for people to dress up as dogs or other unique characters as it’s a form of escapism.
“I’ve not heard of this manifestation before, but people often try to get comfort in all manner of ways. This is a very specific form where, if they’re dressing up as dogs and being petted, it is interesting psychology: pets don’t communicate, they’re not expected to speak…on the whole animals don’t get judged for the way they behave [like humans]. They’re being played with, petted – these are all ways of being comforted,” Bristow said.
REX
By being in the documentary, Peters is hoping to erase the stigma of his favorite pastime.
“We do role play as small children, so why can’t we do it as an adult?” Peters asked.
Do you know anyone who likes to role-play?