Furries are people who have an interest in anthropomorphic animal characters, which means animals with human-like characteristics such as intelligence, facial expressions, walking on two legs, and wearing clothes. They are a diverse community of fans, artists, writers, gamers, and role players who create for themselves an anthropomorphized animal character called a fursona, with whom they identify and can function as an avatar within the community. Some furries wear elaborate costumes called fursuits or paraphernalia such as animal ears or tails, or represent themselves as anthropomorphic animals in online communities such as Second Life.

Contrary to popular misconceptions, furries are not all about sex in animal costumes. While some furries may have a sexual interest in anthropomorphic animals, this is not true for the majority of them. Furries are more likely to be interested in the creative and social aspects of the fandom, such as creating art, writing stories, and attending conventions.

Furries are a politically liberal and less religious group than the average American or other comparable fan groups such as anime fans. They are also more likely to have completed or be currently completing post-secondary education. While furries are generally a positive and inclusive community, there are some contentious groups such as neo-Nazis and alt-right activists whose affiliation is partly in jest and partly in earnest.

Its important to note that the Furry community is complex and made up of many different subcultures. Some furries identify as "therians" or "otherkin," who believe they are spiritually connected to animals or non-human species. However, these groups are a small subset of the furry community.