Policies

Welcome to What The Fur! We have spent countless hours bringing this convention to fruition for your enjoyment. Our main goal at What The Fur is to have fun and to ensure that the greatest number of people achieve this objective. With this in mind, we must establish some standards of conduct. We seek only to ensure that the behaviour of a small group does not disturb the membership as a whole, nor does it detract from the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere of the convention.

If you are aware of a breach of the Policies, please get in touch with a Staff or Volunteer person immediately.

For complete details, please review the following policies:

Document convention

Please note that in the following document, the following terms are of this meaning:

What The Fur Standards of Conduct

What The Fur has a ZERO TOLERANCE rule in effect regarding breaches of the Standards of Conduct. A warning may be given at the sole discretion of the Operations Director or Convention Chairperson. Anyone found committing a Criminal offense (one contained in the Criminal Code of Canada - including possession, consumption, and trade in illicit pharmaceuticals) while attending the convention, will be turned over to authorities.

Smoking is not permitted as per local laws. Smoking is only permitted outdoors. Smoking will not be permitted in any convention function or area, or in the halls, bars, and restaurant areas of the Hotel. What The Fur respectfully requests that those people who step outside to smoke kindly refrain from standing directly in front of any of the hotel's doors and entrances with a distance of at least 10 feet, as the smoke is simply carried inside. This is a city-wide bylaw.

Registration Requirements

For any and all conbadges to be issued, an official form of identification with photo have to be produced. This can include, but is not limited to:

All provided ID must be valid and unexpired on the date of the convention.

Minors are also required to produce the parental consent form to be admitted to What The Fur.

General Rating of the Convention

What The Fur prides itself on presenting an atmosphere that is comfortable for fans of all ages and from all walks of life, and What The Fur members are expected to act accordingly. What The Fur is rated 14A (PG13 equivalent). Please refer to the Art Show or Dealers Room policies for details. In public spaces open to any hotel patrons, the Rating will be G at all times.

Those of age 17 and under are not permitted to attend without the express permission of a parent or legal guardian. Anyone under age 14 MUST be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to be admitted. The best course of action for anyone between 15 and 17 is to come to the event with a parent or legal guardian so they can give consent and we can verify the identification papers.

Anyone found to be violating the public rating, such as by publicly displaying inappropriate artwork, wearing unacceptably revealing clothing, acting in a lewd or lascivious manner (see PDAs below), etc. will be issued a polite warning and will have his or her con badge marked. A second offence will result in confiscation of the badge and denial of entry to all further con events. Blatant and obviously intentional breaches of the rules may result in immediate revocation of membership. Remember that the rules are in place to ensure the comfort of all What The Fur members, a responsibility which What The Fur staff takes very seriously.

Regardless of any posted or understood rating of convention events, no actions may be taken or items displayed or used in convention events (or in the Hotel) that are illegal in Canada.

Public Displays of Affection (PDAs)

We are a friendly and close-knit community. Kissing, holding hands, and similar activities among consenting adults are certainly allowed in all con-sponsored areas. We ask that common sense be used, however, when displaying affection for your special other. Two good general rules to follow at What The Fur are:

"If you have to ask or think twice about whether or not you should do it in public, then don't do it".

and

"NO means NO."

Please be courteous and understanding. If you feel that you must display deep affection for another in a physical fashion, please do so in the privacy of your hotel room. Hotel rooms reserved by the Convention are not available for such use. What The Fur staff will not hesitate to ask a party to desist if that party's behaviour is considered inappropriate for a public area or is blatantly annoying to other parties. Such admonishments are difficult for us and are an embarrassment to the party in question, so kindly do not make us take such action.

Public Exposure - Indecent and Other

At the request of What The Fur and hotel management, we must ask that shirts, pants/shorts, and footwear be worn at all times when in the lobby of the hotel, in any restaurant, or when traveling to and from the pool area or gym. Bathing suits in the lobby are not considered to be appropriate attire, even if you are only passing through. Please use the changing rooms in the pool area or gym. Costumes (including fursuits and cosplay) are considered "appropriate attire" in all area of the hotel except for the restaurants and the pool and gym area, provided the costumes are not unacceptably revealing. Costumes are not permitted in the restaurants or the pool/gym area, due to safety concerns.

Accessories are permitted as long as the wearer is the one holding them and they do not pose a risk to other attendees and are of appropriate nature. For example: collars and leashes are acceptable, but another person may not hold the leash.

Please note that although fursuits are considered appropriate attire, "adult" fursuits must have all of the details that make it as such (IE: SPHes, nipples, etc...) covered to be considered appropriate. Failing to abide by this will automatically end in a warning and the ban of the fursuit from the event (IE: it cannot be worn again, even if the evidence is now covered, for the duration of the convention). Repeat infractions by the same person will lead to the expulsion from the convention and may also result in a ban from future events.

Any person who publicly exposes a part of the body whose exposure constitutes "indecent exposure" under Criminal Code of Canada (and you know what they are) will be asked to correct the situation immediately. Upon further violation or failure to correct the matter, the authorities will be summoned immediately.

Weapons Policy

To ensure the safety of all those attending the con, What The Fur maintains a very strict weapons policy. These policies are enforced at all times. Anyone who would like to question this policy should speak directly to the Operations Director.

NO WEAPONS, or anything that can be mistaken for one, may be carried either openly or concealed at any time in convention space. If you have anything you would like to carry with you that you feel may come into conflict with these rules, it probably is. If you are uncertain, contact the Operations Director in advance.

NOTE: Items such as switchblades, handguns, brass knuckles, and Bali-song (butterfly) knives which may be legal to own and carry in some States, are illegal in Canada. Kindly leave them home.

No firearms, real or replica, are to be carried, openly or concealed. This includes BB or pellet guns, cap guns, airsoft weapons, water guns, or any other item, which bears any resemblance to any firearm, modern or antique. Squirt guns may NOT be employed within the interior of the hotel. Legally owned replicas and props can be used during photo-shoots. Please consult the Operations Director in advance.

For reasons of public safety, no laser-pointers, laser-aiming device or similar device may be used in public, save for legitimate purpose such as a seminar, display, or other convention sanctioned event in which a laser aid will be needed.

The designation "security-approved" will be given to individual items at the sole discretion of the Operations Director or a chosen senior Staff member. This designation may be revoked at any time at the discretion of the Operations Director if the item is being used or brandished in an inappropriate fashion or if complaints are received regarding its display. If any item has not been pre-approved by the Operations Director prior to convention, it will not be allowed.

All approved items being carried or used will require a part to be kept with the user at all times at the convention, to be shown upon request of any staff or security members. In the event that the user does not have the prop with him, the attendee will require to be escorted to Ops for verification. If repeated offenses are noted, measures will be taken that may include a warning up to expulsion.

The weapons listed above are not meant to constitute an exhaustive list of those items which are not to be carried at What The Fur. Brandishing any weapon, real or replica, is not permissible. Brandishing is defined as the display of an item for the purpose of real or implied threat, or any act that may cause anyone to believe that the intent was there, real or implied. The intent is irrelevant under the law, and the brandishing of any weapon will be treated as an assault upon another person.

Anyone found to be carrying, brandishing, or to have in their possession, any weapon/firearm at any location associated with the con, without previous arrangements, will be immediately expelled and the offender will be reported to the local authorities.

Disorderly Conduct

Please remember that you are a guest of the hotel, and that there are other guests staying at the hotel. It is only common courtesy to maintain a level of noise appropriate to the time and place. We expect everyone to cooperate fully with What The Fur and hotel security personnel. If you are requested to quiet down or to cease a certain behaviour, please do so immediately. It will make the convention much more pleasant for all parties involved. Please refrain from constant swearing and other rude language. Any form of disrespect towards other guests, hotel staff or convention staff will result in immediate loss of privileges and expulsion from the event.

Hotel security personnel are empowered by What The Fur to confiscate your con badge if you do not comply with hotel rules or directions. If this occurs you must take up the issue with the Operations Director. This standard includes any and all fighting, any inappropriate horseplay, or any actions that directly or recklessly cause undue disturbance to, or impair the safety of, any convention or hotel function, restaurant, public area, or patron.

What The Fur asks all of its members and guests to conform to a few house rules and we thank everyone for following them.

These rules are as follows:

Harassment (All types, including sexual)

This includes but is not limited to: striking, shoving, kicking, any unwanted physical contact, threatening to do any of the above or following someone around a public place without a legitimate reason or in a threatening or intimidating manner, and threatening to cause harm. Please remember, if someone tells you "no" or to leave them alone, your business with them is done. Leave them alone. Do not follow them or make them uneasy in any way. Any complaint in regards to harassment shall be dealt with in accordance with Con policy.

Assault / Menacing / Trapping

Assault is defined as: any physical contact done with the intent to cause physical injury, or actions of a reckless nature (i.e., rough horseplay, etc.) that cause physical injury to another person. These are legally punishable by fines and/or imprisonment.

Menacing is defined as when, by physical or verbal means, a person intentionally places or attempts to place another person in fear of death, or imminent physical injury, or harm, or distress. Menacing is also punishable by fines and/or imprisonment.

Trapping is exactly the same as unlawful imprisonment. It is an indictable offence to stop someone from leaving an area or confining someone against their will. This means that if someone says "let me out", you let them out or you may find yourself locked up instead.

Any person engaging in the above activities will be removed from the convention and most likely barred from attending in the future as well. If any person or persons assaults, menaces or traps any convention staff member, What The Fur will press charges to the fullest extent of the law and the police will be involved. Anyone found guilty by a court of law of any of the above actions will be barred from future What The Fur events, and this information will be shared with other convention coordinators upon request.

The standards of conduct will be strictly enforced by the Operations staff and by volunteers, who will be clearly identified as such on site (volunteer or Staff badges). Enforcement will be very simple; your first offense will result in a mark on your badge and a warning. The second offense will result in the confiscation of your badge and the revocation of all con privileges without a refund. In cases of malicious intent or direct infraction of the above guidelines, or an infraction of the law, a warning may be bypassed.

Please remember that your con badges are property of What The Fur for the duration of the convention, and must be presented and/or surrendered to any Staff or volunteer member requesting it. If you have any problem with any action taken by a Staff member, or volunteer, you may take the matter up with the Operations Director. We shall make every attempt to be fair and lenient in the case of infractions, but we cannot tolerate behaviour which threatens the peace and well-being of our members.

What The Fur accepts no liability for events or actions by individuals in the confines of private hotel rooms. Anyone intending to host a party is strongly advised to check for What The Fur badges on partygoers, and to deny entrance to any person who is not a member of the convention. Responsibility for incidents occurring in hotel guest rooms rests solely upon the individual in whose name the room is rented. Please note that it is illegal by both hotel and local rules to sell merchandise or services in any area of the hotel or grounds not so designated. Such activities constitute "illegal solicitation," and may result in the perpetrator being removed from hotel grounds. If you host a party in your room; the door must remain closed, the noise level must be low enough to not bother the people in the next room or in the corridor. The corridors are not to be used as meeting places or overflow party space. Hotel staff and security personnel have final say about the use of a room.

Elevator use

It's understandable that elevators are a prized commodity at conventions. But due to the nature of What The Fur, we kindly request that our attendees give priority of use to disabled people, other hotel guests and fursuiters, ideally in this order. This is for both reasons of respect and security.

Convention liability

By paying and receiving your conbadge, you accept that What The Fur and its parent company as well as their staff and volunteers are not liable for any items lost, destroyed or damaged while at the convention.

And though we at What The Fur try our best to provide a safe and friendly environment, nobody can be shielded from accidents. Therefore, you accept responsibility and agree not to hold What The Fur liable for any injuries and/or deaths that might occur at the convention.

What The Fur cannot be held responsible to any and all damages, thefts or losses occurring in private hotel rooms. The person in who's name the room is in will be responsible for any and all issues that may arise that pertain to the room. This includes the aforementioned thefts and personal belongings damage, but also extend but is not limited damages to hotel property, in and out of the hotel room. Each attendee assumes full responsibility for their behaviour. Any attendee found damaging or misusing hotel property will find his attendance to be revoked and be brought to the hotel personnel to deal with.

Private footage/photographs/recordings

All private footage and photographs remain the property of the owner. However, the owner agrees that What The Fur might use their material for internal or promotional purposes. What The Fur agrees to contact the creator/owner of the material to notice them of the use of their material, as long as contact information is accessible and the copyright owner can be identified. The method of contact may include but is not limited to:

Despite the fact that the originals remain the property of their authors, we do request that you use judgement when using your material and make sure to respect other attendees' privacy.

Also, please note that photography is prohibited in the Art Show for copyright reasons. Photography is allowed in the dealers' room, as long as the main subject of the photo and/or video does not prominently feature the work of artists, IE: taking a photo of a dealers' table while all his/her work is out. The only accepted exception to this rule is a dealer taking a photo of his/her table for their own use.

Media, reporters, journalists, news agencies, et al...

What The Fur understand that currently, our fandom is an object of interest by the world at large as it is getting to be more and more known. This is why we do not forbid attendance by any media personnel of our convention. However, there are rules in place that media personnel will have to follow. Those rules are in place to protect the privacy of our attendees and staff. Any failure to abide by the rules in place for media personnel will end with an expulsion from the convention without a refund as well as confiscation of all material acquired at the convention and, upon review of the case by at least 4 directors, which will require to include the operations director and/or media relations director, may also lead to a ban to future What The Fur events of not only the individual but also all related groups and employees from the parent company.

In this document, "media personnel" refers to any of the following:

The rules in place are as follow: 

If media personnel is found in breach of any rules, they will automatically forfeit any rights to any and all material acquired while on the premises of What The Fur, have said material confiscated and deleted from their means of recording (flash memory, magnetic tape, paper, etc...) and will not be given any copies for any use whatsoever. Also, the parent company (employer) of the media personnel will be notified by the operations director of their breach of conduct.

Sharing of information

What The Fur prizes the trust that our attendees place in us, and therefore we will not share personal information with outside parties. We respect the privacy of our attendees, and make sure that all personal information is kept private and secure to the best of our abilities and knowledge.

What The Fur reserves the right to share any and all information regarding attendees ban circumstances and decisions with other convention staffs upon request. We will, however, respect the privacy of all our attendees, even those who find themselves banned or expelled from the convention. We reserve the right to share an email address and the name, at the request of another convention staff with proof of work for said convention, in the event that they wish to hear the attendee's side of the story.

For media personnel, What The Fur will reserve the right to communicate the identity of the company that has seen it's employees breach the code of conduct to other similar events either upon request or by publicly making this information available. Therefore, What The Fur will not be held liable for any damages, monetary or otherwise, caused by this sharing of information.

Causes leading to an attendance ban

A person can be banned from attending What The Fur events if:

Such decisions are taken by the Operations Director, then brought to the immediate attention of the Chairperson.

If there is a disagreement with any decision from the operations or volunteer staff, or the Operations Director, this decision may be appealed to the other Directors. However in a situation where the resulting decision conflicts with the Operations Director, the Operations Director’s decision will be final.

Please be reminded that these rules are, of course, worst-case scenarios. We anticipate no difficulties and have not had any in the past, as our members as a whole are rational and responsible adults. What The Fur is prepared to deal with any or all of the above scenarios in as rapid and efficient a manner as possible should they occur. If you witness any situation that breaches the Policies, please contact a Staff or Volunteer member as soon as possible. We thank our members for their cooperation, and for their assistance in making this a fun and safe experience for everyone. Have fun - just please remember to be courteous to those around you!

What The Fur Operations Director