Petplay is one, very interesting part, within the wide spectrum of BDSM activities. Sometimes it is, quite ignorantly, confused with zoophelia, which totally wrong – Petplay has nothing to do with zoophelia, period.
Petplay is an animal role play that may involve a non-sexual or an erotic sexual role play. Petplay, ponyplay, kittenplay and puppy play are all part of the erotic roleplay but do not necessarily involve sexual activities.
In its erotic sexual role play form, one or more of the participants takes on the role of a real or imaginary animal in character and applies the appropriate manners and behaviour connected to that specific animal. including appropriate mannerisms and behavior, and sometimes a partner will act as another animal or may take the role of rider, trainer, or caretaker or even breeding partner.
The principal theme of animal role play is usually the voluntary or involuntary reduction or transformation of a human being to animal status, and focus on the altered head space created. A great level of immersion is what the participants are usually trying to reach, not too far from other BDSM related activities where the purpose is to push the mind in certain directions.
Animal role play might also involve different kinds of bondage related gear that is worn so that the person, who is being the animal, develops a certain movement pattern that is significant to the animal. Restricting the movement of the arms and legs on human puppies or ponies will not only force an certain movement pattern, but probably push the person into an animal head space quicker as the limbs cannot be used in an ordinary way. Covering up the face with certain types of masks might also be beneficial to the level of immersion as it reduces the possibility to use facial expressions. The person, being the animal, can regress to an animal state where only animal body language is allowed. Reducing human expression might also be beneficial to the trainer, as he or she will not have to deal with trying to read human signals.
Both parties are working together to keep the immersion at a specific level through these tools, gear and restriction of human expression, which is also controlled through formalised behavioural expectations. If you are a puppy then you are supposed to act as a puppy, barking, growling and eat from a bowl on the floor. Maybe the puppy will rub itself against the leg of the owner when it is in need of a cuddle. The owner will keep the immersion alive by playing with the puppy, pet it and maybe keep it in a cage during the night. Everything is done accordingly to how a puppy should be treated.
Animal role play can also be used in a BDSM context, the difference then is that the person may be humiliated by being treated as an animal instead of voluntarily becoming a animal. BDSM oriented petplay might also be more geared towards punishing the human animal in different ways.
Petplay can be done in so many varieties, there is basically something for everyone. It’s your choice if you want to be as true to the animal as possible or if you just want to be the fetish animal without the real animal expressions. Either way, it can be a different sort of expression when you try to get into the headspace of a specific animal, not being allowed to talk or walk on two legs.
It can be very liberating to let out your inner animal…