My imagined anthro self inhabits an alternative-history remnant of the US once known as Pennsylvania. Briefly, the US was attacked during the Cold War, and a virus contaminated large portions of the east, resulting in the creation of anthros. The attack also resulted in the secession of the Western States of America (who deemed Washington as inept at providing national defense). and a Reconstruction-era style economy for much of the remaining US.

On a side note, the Western states narrowly missed a similar infection: A planed, carrying a Soviet-designed virus inside the casket of an American tourist who died while visiting Sweden, crashed near Denver as a result of sabotage. The casket failed to open and release the virus as it was supposed to do...and that's another story. Anyway, Highfield meets Donaldson, enjoy.