FurEver West began with ambitious but rocky beginnings in 2020, when its first planned physical event was deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic; an online convention was held instead over Discord with panels and a virtual dealer’s den. The 2021 event was canceled after a bomb threat, replaced by a small meetup of about 18 people in Cheyenne’s Lions Park. Growth followed steadily: the 2022 convention at the Holiday Inn in Laramie drew 66 attendees and raised $684.47 for the Laramie Animal Welfare Society; 2023 saw 105 attendees and $865.92 in donations; 2024 attracted 157 attendees with $651.55 raised; and 2025 welcomed a record 236 attendees at the Hilton Garden Inn, raising $1,038.

Following management and financial challenges after the 2025 event, the 2026 convention was canceled. This pivotal moment led to the formation of FurEver West Inc. as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, marking a strategic shift from a single annual event into a vibrant, year-round community. The organization is now preparing for a 2027 revival while building sustainable, ongoing programs focused on promoting anthropomorphic arts, advancing inclusivity, and fostering meaningful community connections across Wyoming and the broader furry fandom.

KayCee was born on a windswept bison ranch nestled against the foothills of the Snowy Range in southeastern Wyoming, where the crisp mountain air carries the scent of sagebrush and pine. A true Wyoming jackalope through and through, he grew up herding hardy bison across high-plains pastures, learning the rhythms of the land from the thunder of summer thunderstorms rolling off the Laramie Mountains to the quiet majesty of star-filled nights above the Medicine Bow. Unlike the flashier desert horizons or lone-star bravado of other Western legends, KayCee embodies the resilient, wide-open spirit of the Cowboy State: a quiet, steadfast outdoorsman who’d rather rope a wayward calf at dawn, summit a granite peak in the Winds with nothing but his pack and antlers, or share fireside stories under the shadow of Devils Tower than chase spectacle. Raised on Wyoming values of self-reliance, community, and stewardship of the wild places that define FurEver West, he now proudly serves as our nonprofit’s mascot, welcoming every furry traveler to celebrate creativity, camaraderie, and the untamed beauty of the Equality State.