Furry Convention

Reported by Janice Broach
Action News 5 Special Report: Fur Fetish

Updated: Nov 10, 2007 01:04 AM

This past Labor Day weekend, a Holiday Inn in Memphis turned into a Holiday "Den" for hundreds of people whose interest in dressing up like animals went far beyond the musical "Cats".

They're called Furries, Furry Fans, or simply Furs. Each has their own "fursona," or furry alter ego.

The 11th Annual Memphis Furry Convention is one of the largest...with furries on the prowl from across the country.

"We average between six and seven hundred people ever year," said participant Christopher "Tyger" Roth.

They love "living" like an animal, or at least dressing up like one. Furries occasionally stroke each other, and there are even fur piles, including one at a dance.

Some furries even bring their children to fur-meets.

"I just want them to see the things their father is interested in," said one furry identified as "Growl Tiger."

Most furries are men. There are very few women in the fandom, though our cameras did catch a few. Each animal represents a different aspect of the furry culture.

"Power animals are a large part of how furries actually think about things," said participant Christopher "Tilt" Williams.

For that reason, it is common to seen big animals including foxes, big cats, and wolves.

So what do participants get out of it?

"You can be and do things that you can't normally do," said one participant. "(You get) a little bit more freedom."

"I can do things I wouldn't normally do, like poke people, and tickle them and stuff," another participant said.

For some furries, that "stuff" involves sex. At the convention in Memphis, furries attended late night classes on "safer sex" and adult websites.

A 'Code of Conduct' posted online said "Backscratches and hugging" were acceptable, but passionate kissing, "tongue battles," and fondling were not.

The furries in Memphis were told to "take it to their room" if they had to think twice about doing something in public.

"We have gotten our share of bad publicity, and as the old saying goes, 'sex sells,' and that's what a lot of the media has portrayed us," one participant said. "But we are proud of the good things we have been able to accomplish, like working with various charities."

Whether it's fun or a fetish behind the animal urges, the furries in Memphis said they were just normal people having a good time.

"There's nothing outstanding about us, especially me," one participant said. "I'm just a big goofy looking guy."

The Memphis meeting has raised thousands of dollars for charity. Many of the furries in Memphis enjoyed video games, art, and athletics, with one group of people playing a game of volleyball in full costume.