"PITTSBURGH (AP) — The furries are gathering in Pittsburgh, and they're ready to shed. No, not clumps of fur. They're looking to dispel what they contend are the mistaken perceptions that their fascination with all things anthropomorphic — animal characters who exhibit human characteristics — are dangerously weird or fetishistic. More than 5,000 devotees are expected at the city's convention center through Sunday for Anthrocon. They refer to themselves as "furries," though only about 1 in 5 will be cavorting in "fursuits" — full-bodied costumes including otters, foxes, cats and dogs. There's even a guy who dresses as an extinct species of zebra. They're celebrating animal characters from movies, TV shows, comic books, video games and, most especially, the characters they create themselves." - Morton Fox from Bookmarklet