The inmates have taken over the zoo

Howling mad! Fury as school allows pupil suffering from 'species dysphoria' to identify as a WOLF

A British schoolchild has been officially allowed to identify as a wolf, the Mail can reveal.

The secondary-school pupil is said to suffer from 'species dysphoria', which is when someone claims their body belongs to a different species.

Teachers are said to be supporting the youngster.

Growing numbers of schoolchildren are said to be taking on the personalities of creatures including foxes, dragons, birds, snakes, sharks and even dinosaurs.

However, clinical neuropsychologist Dr Tommy MacKay insisted last night: 'There is no such condition in science as 'species dysphoria'. It's not surprising that we are seeing this in an age when many people want to identify as something other than they are.

'Now we have a council which appears to accept at face value that a child identifies as a wolf, rather than being told to snap out of it and get to grips with themselves, which would be the common-sense approach.'

Confirmation of the first-known case in Scotland in which a school has recognised that a pupil identifies as an animal was revealed in official documents.

The local authority said the pupil belonged to a group who called themselves 'furries' and identified with 'animal persona'. The council said it offered 'personal support' and 'more specific support' from a 'wellbeing worker', including counselling and help with learning, adding: 'There is very little specific guidance on species dysphoria.'

When I was very young — 2 1/2? 3? — I had a game that I played, where, upon awakening, I would declare to my mommy what animal I was that day, and insist that she play along. “Chrissy, breakfast is ready”, she might call, but I’d refuse to respond, so she’d try again: “Mr. Tiger, your breakfast is here”, and I’d toddle off to the kitchen to get fed (I assume I ate oatmeal, rather than raw meat, but the memory is dim).

I’m told I kept that game going for much of one entire summer, but then stopped. If I hadn’t, if I’d truly believed I was a tiger, or lion, or an ant eater, my parents would have hustled me off to a child psychiatrist for immediate treatment. Today, I’d be encouraged to continue my fantasy, and my delusion would be reinforced by my teachers and society; hell, I could probably announce that I was a girl these days, and still be applauded. Is that crazy, or what?