Box Boy Universe

Hi I’m just making this blog so I can keep track of reblogs about the BBU and WRU so it won’t get lost from my dashboard main account: @eatyourdamnpears

[devourerofcheesecake]

Preface: I’m really new to whump and I know nothing about this. I’m willing to be proved wrong on all the point that I will make, just please be kind

Ok, now that’s over with, I’d like to say, that I don’t really understand the appeal of the ‘boy boxed universe’.

I talked about it with my bf earlier, and I’ve got several bones to pick:

1.) Logistically in a world building setting it doesn’t make sense. There would have to be a BIG societal leap to having human pets normalized. There’s prob works that show these big changes, but from the stories I’ve seen so far I haven’t seen them.

What happened? Why did keeping a human pet become a societal norm in universe? Is this a recent event, or were people just doing this since we started living in caves?

What the fuck are whumpers doing for work??? How do they have all this extra money to feed a lil guy in their home?? That’s a lot of money, it’s like raising a kid. And that’s on top of torture equipment. I just KNOW the economy is fucked because of this. I don’t know a lot about economy stuff, but Im not sure how half the labor force being kept in cages is helping money problems

“Think of the children!!” No seriously think of the children. They are living in a world where it’s normalized to be kidnapped. Their options are to be kept inside their whole lives or be taken by creeps. Do parents just not love their children in this universe, do they sell them off at a young age?? If they are kept inside their whole lives, doesn’t that emotionally stunt them? Is this what fuels the in-universe normalized whump fire? Children growing up emotionally stunted and not knowing how to regulate their feelings, resulting in adults who torture people?? That makes sense. but seriously, do parents go out to the mall with their family and see a dude on a leash being dragged by another dude?

From the stories I’ve seen so far, possession of a whumpee is free for all. If you steal them from someone, they are yours now. That doesn’t make sense?? If society is gonna run like this and STILL have a system of justice, an ownership system has to be established. You’ve kidnapped your whumpee, now you have to register them and fill out paperwork to the IRS about tax deductibles.

Feel free to skip this part, IK it’s stupid to talk about human rights when talking about Whump. But seriously, WTH is happening with human rights???? Not EVERYONE is going to whip their pet on a daily basis, and it’s gonna freak someone out each time they see someone walking around with burned skin, or barbed wire, ect. Is some of the abuses that occur looked on in disgust? Is there a law system saying you can’t do certain things to your pet? If this thing is a recent event, is there people who are vehemently against it? Is there a group of caretakers that provide safe havens? HOW normalized is this? Does everyone have a pet or is it just an occasional practice? If basic human rights are being ignored, what’s happening to lgbt rights? Women’s rights? Racial rights?

Is there websites to get a whumpee? Is this more like Facebook market place or Tinder? Can you match with your whumpee, and if so does whumpee consent to this or no. Do they list themselves or does someone else do it for them

2.) Idk Im just not a big fan of it. I’m willing to be proved wrong, but normalization of human pets kinda bores me. As my bf said, it removes the horror of the situation. Kidnapping someone should be a deeply terrifying practice, and if it’s widespread it loses the fun. Plus, I like the stories where torture is an intimate thing. It’s no fun if you are being tortured by a regular shmo, it needs to be someone who’s unhealthily obsessed with you and wants to forcefully explore limits

Yea idk, willing to be proved wrong, and please feel free to send me works that explore these world building things!!

[maracujatangerine]

Thanks for interesting questions! I’m biased since I write in the BBU and I really enjoy it, particularly for the interesting collective worldbuilding. 😁 But not everyone is into that and the BBU is a sandbox without collective rules, so everyone can do their own thing and this is just my take.

I think changes which already are seen in the world has grown even worse in the BBU, rich people have gotten wealthier, poor people poorer. Cooperations have gained even more power and influence and money- fuelled lobbying has really affected political decisions. Changes to the labour market (AI and automatisation, perhaps?) have increased unemployment and created a group of people who aren’t really needed on the work market, but instead of shortened working hours (like a 30 hour work week to share available jobs), increased taxation of profits (from, for example automatisation) and strengthened welfare states (free healthcare and education, perhaps universal basic income) people without resources have basically been left to fend for themselves. Desperate people are willing to do desperate things - historically people have gone to workhouses or even to prison to avoid starving.

The big multinational company WRU has a lot of money to put on marketing, and they work hard to make becoming a pet seem like an attractive choice, sure, you won’t be a person, but you will live a life in luxury, you will have an owner who dotes on you, on-the-job-training suited to your talents and interests and all the creature comforts you might want. As an added bonus, you will forget all about a potentially traumatic past, and if you have any mental health or physical health problems, WRU will use its full expertise to fix them for you. You will be happy.

But not everyone can become a pet. The company is selective, they want beautiful, talented people who can please their wealthy patrons. If you are chosen into the program, you are lucky.

There are some rumours of bad things happening, sure, people being kidnapped and forced to join, pets being ill-used and even killed, but those things are obviously not legal. If they happen sometimes and the wealthy people pay their way through, well, corruption is to blame. In my version of the BBU, you are not allowed to abuse pets (though you may use physical discipline and have sex with them if they are trained for it) but it is hard to prove anything and wealthy owners and the company itself usually gets away with things. Also, they did sign up for it, so the general public is less concerned.

I don’t think everyone can become a pet, the WRU only selects candidates that they think they can sell. The training process is intense and requires trained (and unscrupulous) staff and is very expensive. In my version of the BBU, pets are fairly rare, mostly only wealthy people have them, and they are important status symbols. A few second hand pets might find their way to a middle-class or even poor owner, but there are no armies of human pets working in the service industry, for example. I don’t think that all owners are very abusive, but the whole act of owning a pet is dehumanising in itself.

Pets are seen as others, not really fit to be decision-making humans. This is, in my view, not that unrealistic. People that have been or are being seen like that in some parts of the world right now include but are not limited to: women, people of certain ethnicities, indigenous peoples, homosexual people, people with mental health issues, poor people and so on. It is apparently not that hard to single out a group of people and make others see them as different and less-than.

People do go to the mall and see pets, sometimes, it is seen as normal. You also see pets in movies/on tv. I explore the whole children/pet dynamic here and here.

You can not just kidnap a pet, though, again, if you are wealthy and influential enough I guess you might get away with it. You get registered as the owner of your pet and you are legally responsible for anything the pet does. (Like if your dog bites someone it is your fault.)

You buy your pet from WRU (or another competitor), you can choose them from a website and have them custom-trained for you. The pet doesn’t get to choose.

Lydia & Coriander - my main story in the WRU starts here. It is primary a recovery story but I enjoy worldbuilding so there’s quite a bit of that.

Here are some WRU writers with a focus on worldbuilding to check out.

@ashintheairlikesnow has written lots of interesting wordbuilding and also focused a lot on an underground resistance to the human pet trade: https://www.tumblr.com/ashintheairlikesnow/623908755816497152/masterlists-masterpost

@hold-him-down has a well-written and complex recovery arc that also takes sea some political questions in The Fighter: https://www.tumblr.com/hold-him-down/663890614856876032/summary-contains-18-content-institutionalized

@deluxewhump has a story in a frat house setting that also contains a lot of worldbuilding.

I also want to stress that we all like different things, and it is totally okay not to like WRU. :)

This was a bit of a ramble…😄 Perhaps other people have more things to add?

[gottawhump]

Safehouses and funding, again. I get the idea safehouses are not entirely legal, in the BBU.

Usually, to get donations for something, you have to ask for it. This is harder to do when it’s something that, legally, you shouldn’t be doing—talking about the activity can incriminate you, asking for money for it can increase the criminal charges, receiving money for it can put the giver in legal difficulty.

So you’re probably not going to put up a GoFundMe about keeping your safehouse afloat. Though maybe organized pet lib has come up with a template and coded wording.

Some places have financial backers, though I imagine that means someone there knows their backer or knows someone who does.

There’s probably a few funded by inheritance from a rich relative.

But also, I imagine funding requests in the BBU’s tumblr.

“Help, I don’t get paid until Friday and we’re running out of food! I’m trying to take care of me and three Pets. They’re all rescues and aren’t ready for jobs yet. Pls help!” (Followed by pictures and links)

[gottawhump]

Hope you don’t mind me clipping your tags to this part, but yes! Maybe this is part of why Romantics have a hard time finding safehouses to accept them. The donor(s) don’t want their name/money associated with something so unsavory to them.

[ashintheairlikesnow]

What's some kind of training that Platonics go through?

Social skills would be a big one! Platonics are usually utilized as live-in au pairs/nannies for children, tutors, an at-home companion for an elderly person or someone who lives alone.

Sometimes someone with chronic illness, neurodivergency, or other disability might request a Platonic Companion if what they need isn't a lot of strenuous housework but really someone to help them with bad pain days, or making sure bills get paid, they take their meds, etc.

So Platonics usually undergo specialized social training to help them perform at their best. They will learn about making conversation, being unobtrusive, being helpful without being overbearing, how to keep the atmosphere light, etc. Light housework might be in their training as well.

Au pairs or tutors will spend their later training time working in the on site employee daycare and preschool, or being "volunteered" at local secondary schools or universities to get a sense for how to talk to and teach students of different targeted age groups.

Household organization - not cleaning but keeping a checklist of tasks, organizing their owner's time to be comfortably efficiently used, medical reminders, how to make phone calls to set appointments, etc.

They might take driving lessons, or shadow a handler while shopping to learn how to navigate crowds or retail and service interactions. They might learn how to speak to a mechanic if there is car trouble. Just really anything they can handle so their owner doesn't have to.

[ashintheairlikesnow]

For whumpmas in July, some asks! (not that I don't like sending asks other days, I do, but I saw that post and thought I'd send some!)

ok so CW noncon mention, discussion of legal terms relating to sex crimes

The international criminal court describes a number of situations were genuine consent cannot be given. by their doctrine (human) pets would not be able to provide genuine consent ("due to natural or induced...incapacity")

the issue with romantics is an entirely different one but for a domestic or platonic, is it seen as bad to have any sexual relations with one due to this? or are they all so dehumanized it's not seen widely as an issue.

is sexual assault of a box boy charged as rape or is are they so dehumanized that it would be like, a sexual deviancy charge (varies from location to location but basically sex with a corpse or an animal)

-@outofangband

I see a controversy over this, initially, but amendments made to those descriptions explicitly excluding Box Boys from it. Especially since the contracts are supposedly signed with a full and clear understanding of the possibility of it, and are considered a kind of consent legally.

And yeah, officially Domestics and Platonics shouldn't be subjected to any of it, but of course it happens. You can be charged with assault but the courts are difficult and confusing for Boxies to navigate at best and there's a lot of pressure not to.

It would be exactly the same charge as anyone else if they are able to do so. And WRU absolutely makes a show of helping the occasional Boxie charging someone with it, showing how super ethical and on top of punishing those abuses they are!

[ashintheairlikesnow]

What’s the average amount of time a pet spends in training at the Facility? Is it different for Domestic vs Romantic? Is there a maximum amount of time before the pet is just abandoned?

No pet is ever abandoned! No one ever isn't well-trained enough to fit SOME purpose, after all. The average time for those who are already matched with a prospective is six to eight weeks for Domestic, eight to twelve for Platonic, and 12 to 16 for Romantic training. However, some people have stayed in the system for two years before finding a placement.

Of course, there's always maintenance for those who don't fall in line.

[cubeswhump]

Box Boy/Babe Info Guide: Worldbuilding Compilation

This universe (multiverse) can be intimidating at a glance. So many writers, so many stories, so much lore. You might not know where to start. First thing us to remember that it’s a multiverse and you can change things as you please, but you might want to follow some guidelines. I’m compiling worldbuilding posts from various writers to help new BBU writers get started.

Big thanks to @ashintheairlikesnow @haro-whumps @albino-whumpee @moose-teeth @the-host-and-colton @slaintetowhump @sweetwhumpandhellacomf for all their contributions and concepts created by them. A for writing some rad stories.

Warning for kidnapping, abuse (emotional, psychological, physical, sexual), violence, institutionalized slavery, brainwashing, etc.

Keep reading

[sola-whumping]

Whumper weekly, Pet series: Breaking and obedience

“Breaking” your pet is the first step to obedience. To break your pet, you must first make them aware of your expectations for them in their new life and give them the chance to comply. If they fight, punish them severely and repeat punishments until you receive satisfactory obedience.

Teach them that they do not have any power to make choices and that submission is the only form of self-preservation that is available to them. Give your pet the hope that, with obedience, they may be treated better, pets that believe they will be hurt whether they are obedient or not, and that no action or behavior will lessen the pain and discomfort to come are prone to rebellion.

To make your whumpee the perfect pet, you must use corrections and punishments that fit the misstep they make. For example, breaking a plate may mean they are forced into a stress position or a day without food, disobedience may mean whipping and burns, escape attempts call for a perimeter triggered shock collar or a daily dose of poison that only you have the antidote to in order to discourage further attempts.

Of course, in place of the recommendations for any of these, you can instead have a full-length torture session. We advise that a pet’s good behavior is rewarded with less pain (or even forgiveness, if you are feeling merciful) to encourage compliance. A broken pet should be terrified of going outside without you, tremble or shake at the thought of disappointment punishment, and be eager to please you and any guests you have.

[shsl-whump-is-now-agentangst]

Okay so apparently this thing called the Box Boy universe or something swept through the whump community while I was on hiatus/taking a break. This is gonna sound weird, but could someone give me a rundown, or maybe point me to a rundown of what that was all about cause I’m too lazy to do it myself and am curious as to what everyone else in the community has to say about it?

[box-boy-universe-stuff]

I know I have worldbuiding for the bbu on this account reblogged, but I’m not so sure about an explanation for the genre as a whole. It’s pretty much just institutionalized slavery in a modern setting. if you’d be interested in learning about the practices and terms used within it, then feel free to peruse my page! hopefully it’ll make sense and I hope I gave you enough context, it’s a really fun whump genre to read and explore

[orchidscript]

hi! i was out of the whump world for like a year and now that i'm back i keep seeing this "box boy" thing around and i have no idea what it is? could you explain the premise or point me in the direction of an intro post about it or something, please?

Hi there, anon, and welcome back!

I’ve only technically been a part of the whump community (as a writer) for three/four months, so I’ll do my best to do a little intro to the Box Boy sandbox. But I’ll also give you tons of good reading materials/resources from people who are better acquainted with it then me :)

Cliff Notes Version: “box boys”/”box babes”/”boxies” are people who have been trained, customized, conditioned, etc. for a buyer by the company Whumpers-R-Us (known as WRU). The originator of the idea is sweetwhumpandhellacomf. It was picked up by @the-host-and-colton (formerly shameless-whumper) and @ashintheairlikesnow, among many other writers.

There are many writers -- like your’s truly -- who have hopped into the sandbox to build out this world, its inherent problems, and (mostly delightful) residents to the fullest extent. From the original concept, it’s kind of exploded, so there’s probably a WRU/Boxies story for everyone out there -- and, if there’s not, then there’s ample opportunity for it to be written.

This is about as much as I can explain on my own, so I’m going to add a decent list of resources for you to read your way through if you like. If you’ve got anymore questions, you’re more than welcome to hit me up. I’m happy to try my best for an answer or point you in the right direction, anon. So please don’t be shy!

And, before I get into this list, I just want to say: Welcome to the campfire, I’m very glad you’re here :)

Resource List:

“Interview: Box Boy Universe” from Wince Magazine (this came out literally yesterday and it is an excellent primer for the BBU)

BBU FAQ page from @the-host-and-colton (The Host is also an AMAZING resource for all things BBU; I reference their posts + lists quite often when I’m doing my own writing.)

#bbuquestionsanswered -- also from The Host

Box Boy Worldbuilding: Training post from @ashintheairlikesnow

Ash’s #worldbuilding for the BBU, if you want to wander through the questions people have asked 

The Box Boy Position List from @haro-whumps

Box Boy Multiverse Masterlist (this has since been retired, but it’s a great place to start looking for stories.)

 And, should all else fail: I recommend searching the hashtags bbu, box boy, box boy universe, and/or box boy multiverse. You’ll have better luck finding the wide variety of writers and stories there :)

ALSO: if any other WRU/BBU writers want to jump in and add more resources, please do! I am only one gremlin and I want to be as thorough as possible. Thank you!

[ashintheairlikesnow]

i love how the WRU dystopia is just exactly the same as the world today except someone lobbied real hard for contractual voluntary renunciation of personhood

[ashintheairlikesnow]

I keep wanting to google things about the BBU online before I remember I can't, because it is neither reality nor a popular franchise and those are the two things I momentarily mistake it for the most

That is immensely flattering to all the writers who have worked so hard on the BBU and super cool to hear!

[box-boy-universe-stuff]

shameless self-promo here but I reblog everything I can find about worldbuilding for the bbu because I have the memory of a goldfish and I want to keep track of it all

[ashintheairlikesnow]

I thought this was a whump fic when I saw the title. Maybe people do get ads like this, with happy WRU models in the picture.

(This is @oofowouchies​, but I can’t submit from a sideblog.)

Yeah, WRU definitely sells specialized insurance policies! Oh my god yes, a helpful advertisement photo of a young man smiling while a physician listens to his breathing through a stethoscope, happy as can be.

Aaaahhhhh

[box-boy-universe-stuff]

quick question: what’s the gender neutral term slash plural term for a box boy or box babe?

[endless-whump]

Heres my logo design for Whumpees R Us in my written universe!  It what I imagine in my head as being on the handler’s uniforms, ID, company paperwork, etc.  You’re free to use it if you’d like with credit!

[box-boy-universe-stuff]

I love this so much!!!

[gatheringofsuffering]

Soooooo I made a YouTube video its a whumpee r us Employee helping you get set up with purchasing your box pet . I’ve never actually done asmr before so it might be awkward and or like straight up cringe so hope anyone who does watch it enjoys it

[box-boy-universe-stuff]

this is so cool!! thank you so much for this @gatheringofsuffering

[the-host-and-colton]

I haven't really seen anyone go into full detail about this but like, how did we get here? What are the laws like for the general population to be okay with companies like the WRU, and how were they formed? Please go into as much detail as possible lmao I'm super curious

Hello! Well, there are a lot of policies and historical events that people believe eventually led to the formation of companies like WRU. It wasn't exactly an overnight change. I don’t have a history degree from the BBU universe, but here are some of the historical events that lead to where we are now!

1930s: In response to the Great Depression, and the high numbers of homeless and joblessness, the “New Deal” enacted a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations. One of these programs was the Labor Exchange Act (Also known as the Economic Trade Act). In which any citizen that applied was able to receive free housing and food through the government, in return for their labor, typically with infrastructure projects. Many historians view this as the first legalization of “unpaid labor” since slavery was abolished. 

1940s: In response to the end of WW II and the rebuilding of the modern world, a bill is passed (in the USA) to make Economic Trade agreements legal for the private sector. Some believe this was also inspired by the Company Towns already popular in America. IE: in the city of Cass, West Virginia, housing, food, and amenities were provided to workers of the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company in exchange for their labor. In addition, similar “Labor Exchange” programs were part of the rebuilding of many European countries, but it would take way too much time to explain world history, so I am going to stick with the US! 

1950s: The Golden Age of Television! During this era is when what many believe was the first instances of a “economic trade agreements” between individual people. It was revealed in a New York Times article that some Hollywood movie stars have started to employ their personal assistants through Labor Exchange agreements. In which these “personal assistants” shared their employer’s lavish lifestyle in exchange for their work and companionship. These relationships became the topic of gossip and jealously. In one article, the first use of “Pet” is used to jokingly describe these relationships.

During this time we also saw an increase in protections for Labor Exchange to protect workers from exploitation. Such as the first use of contracts explaining the specific exchange they were agreeing to. 

1960s: Many important shifts happen to the Labor Exchange programs in this era and now is a good time to mention that those employed in Labor Exchange are exempt from taxes, since they are paid in goods and services. Labor Exchange/Economic Trade grew in popularity with the “Hippie Movement”, where many communities were formed with economic trade between members of the community, and no currency.

With this, we see the rise of instances of people using the private economic trade system to avoid taxes and general life responsibility. To help combat this, restrictions are placed on what personal property Labor Exchange workers are able to own before having to pay taxes. (Though others see this as a way of adding even more restrictions to those disadvantaged, as many choose not to own an personal property in order to avoid this.) 

1970s: We see the first backlash against Labor Exchange/Economic Trade during a rise of prejudice about immigration and the war on drugs. The federal government begins passing restrictions on Labor Exchange programs and disbands the last of the government programs, over fears of Immigrants using them to take advantage of the government. 

Private companies are lobbying for greater control of their Labor Exchange workers, with many citing issues with broken contracts. While others being lobbying against Labor Exchange as a whole, saying it is a new form of slavery.  

This causes the greatest shift in policy yet. In an attempt to regulate the industry, the Protection of Labor Exchange Act, also know as the Protection of Economic Trade laws are passed, officially setting in stone many of the regulations we still have today. (some people confuse this as the first Pet Protection act, due to the acronmy, but that doesn’t come until later.) 

Labor Exchange is heavily regulated in farming, manufacturing, construction, and other manual labor heavy industries.(IE Such companies in restricted industries can not have more that 10% of their workforce be Labor Echange workers.) Those entering Labor Exchange Contracts must be over the age of consent (this age depends on your state or country), prove consent to protect them from exploitation, and sign contracts legally binding them for a number of years. The first legalization of selling contracts is also enacted in this era. Due to these strict restrictions, the practice mostly falls out of favor in the manufacturing industry, but begins to rise in popularity in the luxury industry, one of the only places where it is still legal. 

Late 1970s-Early 1980s: There is a rise of the industry in celebrity and luxury culture, with more people entering into contracts with the wealthy, in return for a luxury lifestyle, first popularized in the 50s. The term "Pets" is officially coined as the name of this industry and this is what many consider the official beginning of the “Pet Industry”. We see the first instances of people paying for training for their ‘pets’ and the beginning of boutique companies who train people for a future life as a pet, and the rise of sale of contracts between private parties because of this. WRU is incorporated in 1982 as one of these private training companies, though the owners had personally been training pets for years prior, so there are some discrepancies about when the company was actually stated. 

This begins to cement the Pet Industry in people's minds as a way to avoid general life responsibility while enjoying a luxury lifestyle. There are rumors of sexual exploitation, but since the industry "pays" in exchange, instead of monetary value, they skirt around any established prostitution laws. 

Late 1980s: While at the same time there is a continued popularity of pets in celebrity culture, there is a rising crisis of Labor Exchange workers and later aged Pets reaching the ends of their contracts. They end up with huge disadvantages in life, having no personal property or access to retirement funds. This causes a huge backlash against the industry as we see the government stepping in to help these former Labor Exchange workers and Pets. The general tide of public opinion turns against “Pets”, as people see them as lazy and a burden on society because of this.

In an attempt to curb this issue and regulate the people from joining pet contracts, the final “Personal Economic Trade for Life” restrictions are passed in 1991, also known as the Pet for Life regulations. (Yes, this was a purposeful tongue and cheek play on already established the name of the industry.) In which the final laws are passed that dictate those entering the pet industry are “Trading their personhood for a life long economic and personal care agreement with their contract holder”. These laws state that those joining the “personal ecnomic trade” industry must sign life contracts and have their former citizen records erased, putting the burden of caring on them on their contract owners, instead of the government. With this change, the term “labor exchange worker” falls out of use and the term “Pet” is solely used to describe those in the industry. Additionally, pets can no longer own personal property and have restrictions against having children of their own. 

In a historical significant move, the formerly small boutique company “Whumpees-R-Us” is the first private training company to agree to life contracts for their trainees, and as a result, is quickly rocketed to popularity with people wanting to be pets, and those wanting pets. This also quickly raises the price of the pet industry and falls out of popularity for people who can not afford to keep their pets for life, making it mostly popular for the only wealthiest of society. 

Late 1990s: In this era, there is a lot of lobbying from private companies such as WRU on creating more restrictions for pets in the industry. Its argued this is to protect the companies, but there are rising rumors of mistreatment. 

1999: The Pet Protection Act is passed which adds additional protections and mostly dispels the general fear about pet mistreatment. This is what most people refer to when citing the pet industry is perfectly safe and humane. But others argue this only protected the industry against scrutiny, and mistreatment still exists. 

Late 2000s: Because of the finical crisis, there is a large uptick of Pets joining the industry. Despite the recession, WRU is still rapidly growing and is considered the premier pet training and placement company. While Pet Lib activists lobby to expose their trade secrets, for fear of mistreatment in training, its considered that WRU had influence in the government and was able to keep their training practices proprietary. Their “Box Boy/Babe” line of custom, mail order pets is one of the most popular programs and there is a rise of knock-off companies who offer pets with subpar training, but this does start to gradually decrease the price of the pet industry.

2010s to Present: In this age, we hardly see large changes to the pet industry, which has firmly cemented itself into the lives of the rich and famous. Most citizens grew up with the pet industry existing in one way or another, though it was mostly reserved for the rich. Recently there has been an increase of popularity among regular citizens, with Pets becoming more and more affordable. 

With the effects of late-stage capitalism and many faced with a life of crippling debt and no job opportunities, more and more young folks are turning to the Pet industry as a way out. At the same time, we are seeing a rise of Pet Liberation Activists who argue there is a dark underbelly of illegal practices and are trying to expose these companies for mistreatment.  

Hope this history lesson helped answer some of your questions!  

[moving-blogs-aw]

This is brilliant. Holy

[ashintheairlikesnow]

First off, I recently discovered the whole "Box Boy" thing and honestly, this is some GOOD whump! (It disturbs me, but damn, it's well crafted!). Secondly, I saw the question about Sanctuary-Cities, and I have to ask... is there like an Underground Rail-Road for trafficking-escapees?.... (I'm honestly tempted to write something about that myself!).

Oooooh! Hey, followers! We turned our discussion on Sanctuary cities for Box Boys into an amazing look at different countries and how their laws would be set up to encourage/discourage attempts to help runaway Box Boys and Babes… what are your thoughts on an official/unofficial group?

In my stories, there are individual pet liberation groups who help pets run away, give them shelter and food and help them relearn how to interact with the world, to try and hide what they are. There’s counseling, help, someone always in-house in case of issues that arise… but it’s not connected. Individual groups interact but stay separate to help minimize the chance of the chain breaking down if any one pet lib gets compromised.

As far as a Railroad situation to help pets make it to countries with laws that help them find freedom, I never considered that in any kind of related/official capacity, but I could see there being people, say, along certain high-traffic interstates/highways, that have a house with a particular symbol painted on the mailbox. The symbol changes, from time to time. But it always means the same thing:

You’re safe here. Grab a meal, a place to sleep, and some new clothes. You’re safe here, for tonight. 

What would that look like elsewhere? I don’t know! In my mind I’m picturing the US, and specifically the Eastern Coast and Western Coast mostly. Ways to get to Canada, or Mexico.