So far only read:

The Animal Women a short story by Alix E. Harrow - 2*

Too much, with the metaphors, for my reading preference. ymmv.
-------------------

Set in the 1960s with racial tensions part of the backdrop. A little girl with a debilitating stutter is attracted to hanging out with 5 women who live together. She came across their cabin and wanted to take pictures of them. The women are described "like" animals by the author:

"The woman to her left-heavy, slope-shouldered, black-was Ursa. Odil was the doe-skinned woman from the kitchen, seated beside the lithe and tawny Lyna. Vivian ran pale fingers through hair the color of a winter fox." There is a 5th one that is like a heron. But when they are referred to as animals by the little girl this is what is said: Little Girl -- "My daddy told me not to come. Because of those colored people, in the cities. That. They run mad, like animals." She smiled staunchly up at them. "But I came. Anyhow. Y-you're not like that." She stuttered at the end, as the faces around her went still.

Mild Odil had hot coals for eyes. "We've been called animals for a long time, little white girl, and been used as such. But I'd be more careful who you call an animal."

"I-didn't-Why?" Candis asked.

"Because very rarely, you might be right," answered Lyna, smiling to reveal teeth much too numerous and sharp.

Candis looked away, found Vivian's eyes. "If you think I'm on your side, sweetheart, you haven't been paying attention," said Vivian. She leaned against Vira's bent back and slipped a pale arm around her waist.

"We have never been the animals, Candis," said Vira. Her eyes were old and tired and, Candis thought, hurt. "Go home."
-------------------------

Vira says, "We have never been the animals"... As you can see they are described as "a type of" animal but we can infer that there are a couple definitions of animals being used. By the end of the story the little girl has a transformation and we also meet some "real" animals.
-------------------------

Author interview that mentions this story: https://www.shimmerzine.com/authors/author-alix-e-harrow/shimmer-22-alix-e-harro...
Q: Can you tell us about your current writing project?
A: ... I do have a story coming out at the end of this year in Strange Horizons, though! "The Animal Women," about race and the late sixties and eastern Kentucky and a little girl with a Polaroid camera.