A day in the park.
A day in the park. Friends of Asswolf


Maybe you were trudging through last month’s snow flurry when you caught a glimpse of shaggy brown fur directing traffic around sledders near Cal Anderson Park. Or you were out for a night of dancing and drinks when you saw a pair of impossibly thick eyebrows wiggling in your direction. Or maybe it was at last summer’s rally to tax Amazon when your eye was drawn to a pair of anticapitalist canines, fangs bared, standing with Kshama Sawant.

Lucky you — that was an Asswolf sighting.

As much as a city is defined by its leaders, its landmarks, and its taste for leisure, every urban destination worth spending time in has a cast of iconic characters — instantly recognizable to locals, befuddling to visitors. Seattle has the skipping jester, the wandering pack of Pokémon Go pups, and the pink haute couture of Lady Krishna. Now added to the cast list is the self-described “furry fuckface” and “Seattle freestyle mascot” Asswolf.

Who the hell is this person? Let’s find out.

Politics.
Politics. Friends of Asswolf


Stranger: Hi. Do you have a favorite public fursuiting experience?
Asswolf: I can hardly pick one. Stomping around the streets of Cap Hill during weekend nightlife has brought me so many great memories. Stuffing my oversized fursuit into bars and getting tipsy with friends, squatting down on a crowded sidewalk to eat a Seattle dog in the 1 am drizzle, riding scooters around the streets and impeding traffic, it's been a blast every time.

How long have you been going out in your suit? Did you have any nervousness about doing it at first?
I've been going out for a good 5 or 6 years now? … I started in Salt Lake City, where the crowd is a bit tougher. They never let you anywhere in a fursuit. One time I was let into the Mormon Temple by a charmed worker and they wanted nothing to do with me. But I've always been a little brazen, and if anything fursuiting has allowed me to do incredibly stupid things in public that people would otherwise find questionable if I weren't a large stuffed dog at the time. … Whatever nervousness I had on my first outing melted away instantly and I fell overwhelmingly in love with it.

Your character’s look is so distinctive — how did you develop it?
My partner designed it for me! She's an incredible artist, she even crafted my fursuit for me. I loved how simple yet distinct the design was, and over the years I’ve only made small changes here to fit my evolving gender identity. I will shamelessly plug my partner if that is allowed, she is @poodlewool on Twitter, she has an Etsy and also makes adorable pet portraits.

Capitol Hill critter.
Capitol Hill critter. Friends of Asswolf


Is Seattle a fun place to be such a visible furry?
Oh man, Seattle is good to the furries. People here are so cool and down with it, and being recognized in and out of character at local businesses makes me feel a much deeper connection with local community.

How did you get started documenting furry sticker & street art?
Furry culture really bleeds into the streets of Seattle and I love seeing and feeling that sense of emboldened sub-culture leaving an artistic mark on the city. So I felt like I should share that with the larger furry community. If you're ever walking around Seattle and see funny animal art, it was more than likely done by a furry.

How has public fursuiting changed how you go out? Is it ever challenging?
Every now and then someone will recognize me as Asswolf while I'm out and it's funny to hear my silly name blurted out from across the street, but otherwise it's chill. I get a lot more attention for dressing GNC in public, which represents its own challenges.

Are you OK with being thought of as a Seattle culture icon?
I adore provoking people with fun and mischief, so becoming recognized as a Cap Hill cryptid is like, "mm yes, affirmation." I can't be assed to self-aggrandize though, I want a humble life. I've experienced micro-celebrity culture in the furry community and the vibes are rancid, I avoid it with surgical precision.

Is there any place you want to go in your suit but haven’t yet?
Tokyo? My favorite places to fursuit are neck-deep in crowded street nightlife. Or maybe the Met Gala. I don't know how fast the security is there but if I could get halfway up the steps before being tackled and dragged away like an escaped animal, that would fuckin rule.