In the city where foreign language teacher Yegor Orekhin lives, there is a fashion for... imaginary pets. It spreads like a virus infecting the human brain. People en masse get imaginary dogs and cats, take care of them, play with them, walk them, but abandon real pets and hand them over to so-called wildlife sanctuaries. Orekhina is frightened by what is happening. He sees that something is wrong with people, he tries to reach them, to open their eyes, but those around him: colleagues, students, family - are up in arms against him. They are all sure of the opposite: something wrong is happening not to them, but to Orekhin. Will the main character be able to defeat the general madness alone? Will he find a solution that will help rid people of this strange nightmare? And is it even worth saving those who do not want to be saved?