Watch: People who identify as ‘dogs’ assemble in Berlin

WATCH: Hundreds of people who identify as dogs gathered at the Potsdamer Platz railroad station in Berlin, Germany. The gathering was organized by a group called "Canine Beings," which advocates for the rights of people who identify as dogs.pic.twitter.com/Rbs8vvxTTC

— Policy Scoop (@policyscoop) September 19, 2023

This video comes on the heels of a Japanese man making news after he bought a realistic-looking dog costume worth approximately $22,000 (Rs 18 lakh) to fulfil his unique wish of being a dog. The man chooses to be anonymous and goes by the name Toco.

Toco’s YouTube channel, ‘I want to be an animal’, has over 34,000 subscribers. In July this year, he shared a video of his first public walk.

In several media interviews, Toco has expressed his inclination to be a dog since he was a child. He eventually commissioned the Japanese company Zeppet, which makes costumes for TV commercials and films, to make a rough collie costume. He said he chose to be a rough collie because of its big size, which will make the costume fit him better and look realistic.

In an interview with The Daily Mail, Toco said, “I don’t want my hobbies to be known, especially by the people I work with. They think it’s weird that I want to be a dog. For the same reason why I can’t show my real face.”