Two cultures collided in Canada when a group of recently arrived Syrian refugees were settled in a Vancouver hotel where a yearly furry convention was taking place.
The fifth annual VancouFur convention was taking place at the Executive Airport Plaza hotel when numerous attendees noticed a bus full of migrants pull up outside and start to pour through the entrance.
“They saw people in giant animal costumes. To the children they were just cartoons from stuff like Yo Gabba Gabba!, etc., and they wanted to say hi,” claimed a furry who was in attendance. “I don’t think they had any concept of the furry fandom.”
Despite the children’s positive interaction with the group, adult refugees were reportedly weary of the 171 attending furries who were situated in the lobby.
Though furries, otherwise known as the anthropomorphic community, are sometimes associated with fetishized sex, the cross between cultures is said to have went well. An attendee claimed that though sex is a “definite part” of the fandom and community, it is not required, and the children even joined in with the “final dance” of the convention.
Organisers and management attempted to warn the furries beforehand with a letter that stated:
Please be aware that our hotel has been chosen as one of the temporary housing locations for the Syrian refugees coming to Canada. A major concern that VancouFur has is ensuring that each and every one of the refugees (and attendees) feels welcome and safe and the fact that this is likely to be a major culture shock to them.
The letter also warned that some of the refugees might not speak English and made an appeal to anyone who could speak Arabic so that translations would be easier.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously promised to bring 10,000 migrants into the country by the end of 2015. Over 25,000 Syrian migrants are estimated to have landed since November.
Charlie Nash is a frequent contributor to Breitbart Tech and former editor of the Squid Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington.