Animal roleplay is a family of consensual practices in which one or more participants adopt the persona, behaviour or headspace of a non-human animal. It encompasses many distinct traditions, including Petplay, Puppy Play, Kitten Play, Ponyplay and a wide range of fantasy and species-specific expressions. The intensity varies enormously — from playful moments within an existing dynamic to sustained ceremonial arrangements structured around handler and animal roles.

Animal personas have appeared in ritual, folklore and erotic culture for centuries. Within modern BDSM and Leather communities, distinct animal-role subcultures crystallised through the late twentieth century, drawing on earlier fetish and pageant traditions and later organising around conferences, clubs and online communities.

Communities differ on where the boundaries of Animal Roleplay lie and how much emphasis is placed on gear, behaviour, headspace or relationship structure. The Lexicon records the term as an umbrella covering many accepted expressions rather than a single practice.