Safe places for Fursuiting?

[Crystal The Vixen]

For example a furry convention is a safe place to fursuit, because the people know the worth of the fursuit and will most likely respect to fursuiter. Places I think is not safe for fursuiting, is a high school or public park. Because the children and teenagers will most likely be disrespectful, for example touch you with dirty hands, yank your tail, hit your head. As much as I'd love to Fursuit for children, it's too much of a risk. A fursuit costs way too much money for me to get it ruined. What places do you consider safe and unsafe for fursuiting?

My List

Safe: Furry Conventions, Home with respectful family.

Unsafe: Conventions not familiar with furries, public places with children and teens.

Please help me out on what's safe and not safe, so I can keep my future fursuit safe.

[Umbra.Exe]

Furmeets might be considered "safe" as long as you don't go to a meet full of weirdoes.
In any case, I think having a handler would be good to have in most situations. A good handler can alert you to things you might not be aware of (since suits have lowered visibility), and could help keep a lookout for unruly folks.

I'd advise against fursuiting alone, even at cons. Perhaps I'm being overly cautious, but I'd rather fursuit with at least one person I trust, even in a considerably "safe" place.

[Misomie]

Anime cons are pretty safe as are ren faires because there are other super pricey costumes and items around and people know better at those events.

 

If you want to suit for kids, try talking to hospitals so you can visit patients. 

I've suited at pet stores and adoption events before but I was with a rescue and didn't randomly pop up in suit.

[Hell_Charm]

Anime cons are pretty safe as are ren faires because there are other super pricey costumes and items around and people know better at those events.

 

If you want to suit for kids, try talking to hospitals so you can visit patients. 

I've suited at pet stores and adoption events before but I was with a rescue and didn't randomly pop up in suit.

Awww :3 suiting at a hospital to cheer up kids, definitely going on my to-do list for when my first suit is done

[Zeke]

Anime Cons, Comic cons, or any other nerdy fandom ons are generally okay for fursuiters to suit around. For the most part, you'll get a good reception with less than 5% being the uncomfortable/negative types. You don't have to worry about cons that are not furry.

Places that are generally not okay to suit in is most public business without consent of the establishment or management. Places like Wal-Mart, Libraries (unless they have a costuming event), malls, banks, etc. Are generally not okay. Also, places that serve alcohol in copious amounts (like Oktoberfest) is not okay and unsafe. 

 

[Troj]

Unsafe or otherwise inappropriate:

Private property. Ask permission first!

Any place that forbids masks or face coverings. This includes banks.

Any place that is protective of its "brand," or is otherwise likely to worry about you being mistaken for one of their employees.

Any place that is paranoid about unapproved personnel or unknown people wandering around--if uncertain, ask someone!

Risky--do not attempt without a spotter:

Events or places with lots of drunk people

Events or places with lots of tweens/middle-school aged kids. Most older teenagers have actually been really cool to me when I've been in suit, but tweenyboppers will sometimes try to impress each other by playing Murder the Furry Faggot.

Events or places with lots of unattended or poorly-supervised children. It only takes one shitty little bully to rile up the others and encourage them all to attack you.

Safer:

Family-friendly festivals and special events. I've found that people in general are often nicer to folks in costume when they believe the person is costume for a legitimate reason.  Caveat: be mindful of people who may be paranoid about pedophiles, and may therefore be suspicious of the mysterious person wandering around in a cute animal costume. When in doubt, ask permission to suit!

During holidays. As I said above, people may be kinder to you if they think you're in costume "for a reason," and holidays are generally seen as a good excuse to be in costume. I've never had any problems when suiting on Halloween or Christmas.

Geek conventions.

Safest:

Furry conventions.

Furry or fur-friendly parties or meets.

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When thinking about where to suit, should also take into account other factors like uneven pathways or bad sidewalks, busy roads, obstacles you could run into or trip on, or things that could snag or damage your tail, ears, or wings.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Troj