In one world, that socialwhere pet influencers are getting more views than humans, it’s no surprise that content featuring them animals (domestic and otherwise) are in the top trend of views. Yet, behind the apparent tenderness of these videos there is sometimes a dark side made up of unawareness and folly. This is the case of the new viral phenomenon nicknamed “spinningcat” – and its variant “spinningdog” – which consists of taking dogs, cats and even rabbits by the front legs and making them spin around, filming everything with the cell phone held in the mouth, providing a singular point of view. A “game” that presents itself as a moment of fun but which can turn into a dangerous gesture, capable of generating stress and potential physical damage to the animals, all in the name of a few seconds of popularity.
What are “spinningdog” and “spinningcat”
Born on TikTok and then bounced onto Instagram, the two trends – spinningcat And spinningdog – have become in just a few weeks among the hashtags with the most content and the most shares. The goal? Get a smile and a few thousand likes by showing yours pet while he hovers in the air like a stuffed animal and filming it from his own point of view thanks to the video camera positioned in his mouth.
But behind the apparent lightness of these ten-second videos lies a real risk to the health and well-being of animals. Animal rights associations have already raised the alarm, denouncing the superficiality with which many users treat their pets in order to chase virality.
The experts’ alarm: the risks for animals
According to him experts what many consider to be a harmless and amusing gesture can have serious consequences for animals. Lifting a dog by its front legs and spinning it places muscles, joints and ligaments under abnormal tension and injuries even in the long term, especially in small animals or in breeds already predisposed to spinal problems such as Dachshunds and French Bulldogs. Even rabbits, with a particularly fragile bone structure, can suffer permanent trauma, while cats risk dislocations or muscle tears in addition to disorientationwhich can generate great stress.
“When an animal wriggles, it is not doing so for fun: it is trying to free itself from an uncomfortable and potentially painful situation“, warn the experts. No like or viral video can justify the lack of responsibility towards those who, unlike us, cannot choose to escape the game.