Furchild

How we treat our pets tells us a lot about ourselves. What does it say about us humans when we prefer the company of our pets to that of other humans, and treat our pets like we would treat our children? Whose need it is really about, and what does this do to the animals?

‘Furchild’ is a 2D animation short that explores the human-pet relationship in a light-hearted, but also critical way. It tells the story of a dog that is being raised as a human child, while all he wants to do is pee against trees, play fetch and, most of all, sniff butts. The short is a commentary on the over-the-top anthropomorphism (the tendency to attribute human characteristics to non-human entities) of many contemporary pet owners, and lets us think critically about how we treat our pets.