Man known as Toco has spent over £10,000 on a canine costume to realise his dream of transforming into a dog
Franck Robichon/EPA
Main image: Toco sits in a cart as he is pulled across a zebra crossing by a woman. Photograph: Franck Robichon/EPA
Mon 21 Aug 2023 13.44 BST Last modified on Tue 22 Aug 2023 16.29 BST
A Japanese man, known as Toco, has spent more than €12,000 (£10,250) on a canine suit to realise his dream of transforming into a rough collie dog. Toco began his transformation two years ago when he asked the company Zeppet, which creates realistic costumes and models for films, to make him a tailor-made costume Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
‘Since I was a kid, I have wanted a makeover. When I am wearing my suit, I feel happy because my dream turns into reality,’ Toco told EFE in an interview while wearing the costume of a long-haired collie, a large breed that can attain heights of up to 66cm Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
When Toco heads out on to the streets, something he only does on special occasions to protect his privacy and avoid attracting large crowds, people often stop him to take photos or caress him, either because they recognise him from his social media videos or confuse him for a real dog Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
On YouTube, Toco (@I_want_to_be_an_animal) has already gathered 54,000 subscribers, and he has more than 245,000 followers on TikTok (@toco_eevee), where some of his videos have over 2m views and thousands of comments Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
‘I receive all kind of messages. Among the positive messages, some tell me they want to do the same thing, which has made me realise that there are other people like me,’ says Toco Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Although Toco does not want to reveal too many details about his costume, nor about his personal life beyond the hobby, he explains that it cost him about 2m yen (£10,250), an amount he managed to save over a long period of time Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Although collie is his favourite kind of dog, Toco also likes other breeds such as the Alaskan malamute, the Siberian husky and the golden retriever, all medium- to large-sized dogs that he could easily emulate. Toco does not rule out getting other dog suits made Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
