A man who wanted to be a dog so much that he spent thousands of pounds on a collie costume, has said he is sad about about the misconception around his transformation.
Dogs are a man's best friend, and most of us love our furry pals. But one man, from Japan, loves dogs so much that he actually wanted to be one.
Say hello to Toco the collie.
After spending £12,000 on a realistic collie costume, which allows Toco to walk on all fours like a real pooch, the man has been able to fulfil his ambition of being an animal.
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Toco chose a collie because it's his favourite breed, and managed to get Japanese agency Zeppet to make him a costume.
However, the judgement Toco gets over his life choices has left him upset.
Speaking to The Mirror, Toco explained that he feared 'coming out' as a dog and feels sad when people troll him online.
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"I rarely tell my friends because I am afraid they will think I am weird. My friends and family seemed very surprised to learn I became an animal," he said.
"Since childhood, I have had this unspecific fantasy of becoming an animal. I wonder whether it was a desire for transformation."
Toco documents his new life as a dog, which he insists is not a fetish, over on his YouTube channel, @I_want_to_be_an_animal, where he has over 60,000 subscribers.
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In videos uploaded onto the platform, Toco plays with other dogs, enjoys belly rubs, barks, eats dog food and even has a few tricks up his sleeve.
He says he enjoys 'doing things that only dogs do' because this makes him feel like an animal.
In another video, Toco can be seen barking at the window like a real dog and even lounging on the furniture.
While Toco has been criticised for his hobby, others within the community have praised him for making the bold move.
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One person commented on his video: "You inspire us to fulfil our dreams too."
While another said: "I hope I become the animal I want to be as well. You're an inspiration to us."
And a third added: "Don't be nervous of people seeing you! You're just a guy with a quirky hobby. There's nothing wrong with that!"
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"I’m honestly just impressed by how good it looks! If he’s happy and it doesn’t hurt anyone, who cares?" added another.
You can check out Toco's YouTube here.
Topics: Animals
Lucy Devine