The number of people with mental problems that identify as animals (a.k.a. therians) in Portugal is reportedly growing, leading the Portuguese Veterinary Association to issue a statement -as crazy as it may sound- clarifying that veterinarians cannot treat them in the event of illness…

The move came especially after some young Portuguese “therians” reportedly began requesting veterinary services for themselves.

In its statement, the Veterinary Association outlined guidelines for veterinarians on how to respond if approached by a therian, including recommendations on the language they should use when communicating with them, while also advising members not to take them on as patients.

@whiteaquri #therian #theriansafeplace #therianthropy #theriangear🐾🍁 #quadrobicsjump ♬ original sound – 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔩𝔢𝔰♛

“Following the appearance, even sporadically, in Portugal of people who claim to identify with certain animals, adopting language, behaviors, or roles associated with those animals and seeking veterinary services as therianthropes, the OMV (Veterinary Association) informs all its members of the following,” the statement begins.

The association emphasized that “Portuguese legislation explicitly recognizes and protects certain dimensions of personal identity, such as the right to self-determination of gender identity and expression, but it neither provides for nor protects any legal status of ‘animal identity’ for an individual.”

@whiteaquri #therian #theriansafeplace ##therianthropy #theriangear🐾🍁 #trend ♬ original sound – user10947476249

“Therians are still human beings”

“The person who identifies as an animal,” the Veterinary Association stated, “remains, for the purposes of the law, a human being. A veterinarian, when confronted with a ‘therianthrope’ (sic), must refuse to perform acts of diagnosis, prescription, or treatment of illnesses.”

“Proper language should be used”

According to the Portuguese outlet cmjornal.pt, the Veterinary Association added that if a veterinarian encounters a therian, the doctor “must explain, using appropriate language,” that they “are qualified only to treat animals and cannot provide healthcare to humans, even if those individuals identify as animals.”

@whiteaquri #therian #theriansafeplace #therianthropy #theriangear🐾🍁 #quadrobicsjump ♬ original sound – Andres!

The “therian” mental disorder

The therian mental disorder became known through videos shared on social media platforms, particularly TikTok. These videos often show people wearing masks, tails, whiskers, and other accessories to resemble animals as closely as possible while imitating their behavior.

@whiteaquri #therian #theriansafeplace #therianthropy #theriangear🐾🍁 #quadrobicsjump ♬ Originalton – 𝐅𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐈̇𝐏𝐒𝐀𝐏𝐒𝐎𝐏🇹🇷

These people may identify as dogs, cats, foxes, bears, among other animals in practically an extension of the gender disphoria, in which the patient does not identify with the gender he or she was born.

They are individuals who feel a strong connection to animals and adopt behaviors associated with them, such as barking, meowing, and walking on all fours.