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Taking a cue from the discussion between Vararam and Acton here:
http://forums.furtopia.org/index.php?topic=44136.25
.........This thread is to ask everyone what their thoughts are on the history and origins of the furry fandom are. How and where do you think the furry fandom got started? Are we an offshoot of the sci-fi and anime genres, or from something/somewhere else?

People have been anthropomorphising stuff since like... well, since people. So I think in a general sense you could trace it back a pretty long way. When it became exactly what it is now, whatever that is, I couldn't really say.

Even before ever hearing about "furry", I had a collection of plush animals most of which were foxes, had lots of fox figurines, regularly wore animal shirts (mostly wolves), and had a fondness for cartoons and animated films that use anthropomorphic animal characters. When I would draw, it commonly featured anthro characters. When I would read, I would often imagine the characters as anthro even if they were not meant to be in the story. In other words, I was essentially furry in all but name.  For this reasons and others, in terms of where "furry" came from, I can not point to any sci-fi or anime or any thing like that. I'd say it's much deeper ingrained in people and thus you can find examples of it from way, way back. Sure it wasn't called "furry" but it was still driven by anthropomorphism.

On the other paw, if you are talking about the origins of the term, and how the fandom by the name first started to become more organized as a fandom, then you very well may be able to point to sci-fi cons. In other words, I think Action was probably correct as far as that goes.

The seeds of the fandom go way back, as Whitestorm said, "since people." The fandom as we know it today, the 1980s? Furry is hard to describe, giving it a birthday is rather impossible.

I am not sure when the fandom came to be, but humans have been interested, or at least believed in, human/animal hybrids since the anciant greeks. Almost every culture starts out their mythology deeply connected with animals. These may not be anthros as we know and love them today, but technically I think that the whole thing started with mythology. Anansi, the minotaur, Hanuman, mermaids, lycanthropes, etc...You see where I am going. Granted the furries we all think of are a little more refined, but the principle still aplies. Even in the real world shamans and wise men were believed to be able to take animal shapes and connect with nature. Humans and animals have always been entertwined, no matter what we would like to think.

Furry has been around as long as humans and mythology from anciant civilizations show proof of that. They weren't what we think of furry today,but they hold the same general idea. As for the creation of the actual fandom i can't say but it probably got started as an organized group from the sci-fi cons.

To carry  on from the last discussion 

What I am referring to the the origin  of the organized fandom taht became furry. There were plenty of proto furry influences but the fandom seem to organized themselves  around fantasy  and science fiction the move on from there . for example the work or  Mark Merlino and Rod O'Riley  in the early days.

some quotes
"By 1981, interest in a Funny Animal Fandom had grown significantly at Science Fiction conventions, as demonstrated by the following art created by Ken Fletcher at the 1981 Denvention (World Science Fiction Convention.)

from: A Historical And Cultural Explanation Of Furry Fandom
http://spectralshadows.livejournal.com/46979.html
also

A Chronology of Furry Fandom
http://web.archive.org/web/20110711055142/http://yarf.furry.com/chronology.html

Now to answer Vararam: you are partial right, I am  looking  at history and origin of the furry fandom not anthropomorphism.  The problem I have with may accounts and timelines is  much of  references to  anthropomorphism is mainly circumstantial. While anthropomorphism has existed for thousands of years, and there are individuals who have an interest in anthropomorphism ,  I dare say  the existence of furry fandom is only over a few decades.   

Masquerade balls, in which animal costumes were first worn by nobility, have probably been around since the Renaissance.

I guess it had several different starting points, all at different times, with little to no connection.  Native Americans anthropomorphosized animals, as did various other native groups.  Ancient Egyptians and Ancient Japan did this as well.

[An Illustrated Chronology of Furry Fandom, 1966–1996]

Some of you might recall fandom historian Fred Patten once wrote a chronology documenting furry's early years in the fanzine Yarf!, way back in 1997. Of course, not everyone had a copy, but it was posted online around the turn of the century, and soon became the base for much of the information available about that period of our history in other sources.

Well, ever since the Yarf! website went down last year, Fred's been looking for a new home for it. It was to go to Anthro, but they stopped publishing new issues . . . so now it's at Flayrah!

In revised, heavily illustrated form:
An Illustrated Chronology of Furry Fandom, 1966–1996

Many furs weren't around (or even alive) for much of this time period, including myself, so it's an interesting read. For those of you who were, perhaps it'll trigger a few pleasant memories!

November 1978: Martin Rosen's animated feature adaptation of Adams' Watership Down impresses a wider and younger public than those who read the book.

Showing kids Watership Down is sadistic (and probably hilarious).

Also it scares me to realize there are people on the internet who don't remember 1996.

Nice to know that someone made a chronology like this. I took a quick glance at it, and it looks like a pretty promising read. Thanks for linking!

It's great this history found a home! The questions about the start of the fandom keep popping up, this should answer a ton of these questions.

@Greenreaper:  Rather than have 2 different, but very similar, topics discussing origins of the furry fandom in this forum, I have merged your topic (Post # 9) with my original topic (Posts 1-8).

Many early animated cartoons one saw at the movies in the 30's depicted anthropomorphic
animal characters. Disney went with the sugar sweet style while others played to a more
general audience.  

Many of these cartoons were shown on early television as children's shows even though
many were designed for adult audiences. So by the late 60's they are being edited to tame them down for violence and racial stereotyping.

By the time the 1980's rolled around those children were grown up, and those who loved the animal characters from animation carried them into fantasy and likely helped create the Furry
fandom.

The first time I heard of the fandom was in the late 1980's watching a sifi convention on
satellite televison. I had one of the early C band dishes I built myself.  

So by the time we had local access to the internet (1996) I found it there and the
rest is history.
 
Old Rabbit

[huge]

Yes, some of those old cartoons feature anthropomorphic animals and were targeted at an older, more adult audience as well. Even Betty Boop started out as a dog.

I think that people have always had a fascination with animals and the idea of anthropomorphic animals, at least since 32,000 years ago anyway...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_man_of_the_Hohlenstein_Stadel

To answer your question, I think that the Internet has played a huge role in the modern organized furry fandom/subculture. I live in a small town in a rural area and probably never would have heard of furry if it wasn't for the Internet.

Before the Internet, I assume that furry was something obscure that a relatively small number of people from major cities have heard of. While many people would like animals, the idea of anthro animals too, they wouldn't have a name for that interest or be communicating with other furries. The Internet really opened up furry to a lot of people.

I'll check out that link now.