Haha, that's a funny response.

My impression is that furries wouldn't want to wear real fur because they do LIKE animals. For some reason, they aren't vegan, but I guess they know well enough to leave animal skins alone!

Posted by: Canaduck | May 21, 2009 03:52 PM

Ummm........ok? Crisis averted?

Posted by: Bob | May 21, 2009 05:28 PM

Inexplicably, there are some vegetarians who wear fur. We all know that millions of vegetarians lamentably wear leather.

Posted by: Brien Comerford | May 21, 2009 08:00 PM

Think for a minute. Fur is crule and EXPENSIVE!

I don't think the average furry cosplayer has that expensive of a cosplaying budget.

I'm calling publicity stunt failure on this one. :(

Posted by: Pepsi One is Fun | May 21, 2009 08:55 PM

LOL, their response was epic! Love it!

Posted by: Monika | May 22, 2009 07:49 AM

Fitting - this is why PETA needs to really think things through before going and denouncing groups or sending "Suggestion" letters. It might come back to bite them (no pun intended).

Posted by: mel | May 22, 2009 03:38 PM

Please continue what you are doing these people are the lowest

Posted by: Ruth Kimathi | May 25, 2009 04:04 AM

Furry checking in here. While we're not all vegans/vegetarians/PETA members, the vast majority of us find real fur, fur farms, and animal cruelty in general extremely offensive. As a whole, I'd say furries are extremely responsive to animal rights, one of the most so groups I've found.

Posted by: Sam | May 26, 2009 12:07 AM

Hahaha, love it! Might as well be a Furry myself (tho just learned about them today) that's funny, I like their humor... leaping in front of a locomotive... heh... oh, and of course they wouldn't wear real fur- what was PETA thibnking, asking them that? Wow, strange answer, coming from me. Usually, I critisize people against PETA's actions, proving valid points against it, finding ways to prove them wrong, yet of course, they'd never wear real furs, right Sam?

Posted by: Vegetariansmakebetterlovers | May 26, 2009 04:03 PM

I find it odd that PETA would send such a letter to a furry convention. This and other wasteful things they do are sad. For instance, Sea kittens, REALLY? You want to call fish sea kittens? And Asking the pet shop boys to change there name? Can you honestly NOT find better things to do with your time and money? How about trying to stop REAL cruelty to animals instead of this foolishness?

Posted by: Todd Riverden | May 27, 2009 12:24 AM

If you look at the fursuiters, you'll notice that the great number of them are dressed as carnivores. You'll see very few herbivore fursuits, and they tend to be animals humans rarely eat (horses, unicorns, etc). Is it any wonder furries aren't more often vegan? The animals that are most popular are meat-eaters themselves.

Posted by: Rosen Otter | May 28, 2009 01:09 PM

HAHA! You honestly thought these people were going to wear real fur? Perhaps some people should do their research.

@ Mel: These people dress up as animals, you really don't know anything if you think what they are doing is 'low.' All the costumes and what you see mascots in.

Warning to PETA: do you research if you don't want to look like idiots.

Posted by: Sarah | May 31, 2009 04:52 PM

Honestly, PETA, you should at least make an effort to attend a furry convention before you would send a lettter like this. I'm a furry, and every furry I've ever met (incuding myself) dosen't not use real fur in his or her fursuit. If you'd attend a furry convention, you'd see that nobody wears real fur. There's a few tricks we use to evade using real fur. Firstly, if you want natural- looking highlights, use an airbrush to do the trick. Secondly, if you want natural texture, fluff the fur. There's tons of other tricks, a good few of which I've employed myself. This letter is just silly. heh.

Posted by: Nicole | June 1, 2009 02:43 PM

ok Iwill never make my costumes out of real fur!
EVER!
and when you said about what a furry looks like picture a weird fox cat wolf thing that is green and purple with fould out wings that coos and hisses and that is me!
ps please don't think we are fur hags because the word "fur" is in "furry" and "fursuit" because that's mean!

Love Hyou

Posted by: Hyou | June 1, 2009 06:50 PM

Furry checking in, and I gotta say: wow. Why in the world would anyone make a full body suit out of fur? (no offense meant here) It's expensive, it's difficult to work with, and real fur doesn't take to dyes well (which means you're stuck with the original pattern). Maybe next time some research is warranted before taking action? Just perhaps?

Posted by: Gearran | June 16, 2009 03:22 AM

Many furries who are not into cosplay, sill wear real tails (fox, mink, etc.) on their belts when they are not in costume.

Posted by: Jym | June 16, 2009 01:01 PM

@Jym

Many being what? If you cannot prove this as a fact then please don't spread lies about 99% that wouldn't use real fur. Real fur has too many moral issues that cannot be resolved so would never be a part of things I buy knowingly, generally I would stick for something that is obviously fabric and would never pick up an obvious tail, that's just sickening.

Posted by: Deci | June 16, 2009 05:23 PM

Realfur is hot. as hell anyway. a fake fur suit itself is almost too warm. I really think you have nothing to worry about.

Posted by: EB | June 16, 2009 08:12 PM

Furries Care about their fursonas as well as respect other furs and their fursona's I know tons of furs and I know a few people who do make fur suits and it's entirely made out of fake fur, no animals were harmed from the fursuit makers I know. as for those who aren't suiting it up... I've met a few furs and I have to say... um only one of them hunted and used their furs, ate the meat *omg* as well as the bones *the horror* but that's what the indians did back then... used the WHOLE animal, so please don't say most or all furs just go prancing about with tails stuck to their pants. that's just silly

Posted by: Renee F | June 16, 2009 09:16 PM

Furry conventions actually raise money for local charities benefiting animals. It's almost a little insulting to ask something like that.

Furries just want to dress up and have a good time! I'd almost think it'd be cool if PETA showed up to a con, but then one of you might show me a picture of a tortured malnourished cat or something and just ruin the whole weekend.

Posted by: Aqua | June 17, 2009 03:56 AM

I consider myself a furry and will be attending Anthro Con this july. I've been to furry conventions before, and as said before me, wearing real fur is /really/ frowned upon in the fandom. Also, "fur"suits are usually made from fake fur bought online or at a craft store. These suits are expensive to make and VERY hot to wear, so real fur is just not practical for them. Some people who do not wear full suits wear tails on their belts, but these are usually hand made from fake fur although many of them do look very realistic, and it's easy to mistake them for actual animal tails. Most furries I know love animals very much and are against the fur industry.

Posted by: KT | June 17, 2009 04:08 AM

PETA need to do there bloody research, This letter Is so cheesy. Why would us Furries use real fur!?

Posted by: V | June 17, 2009 07:58 AM

Another furry entering.
I've got to say, PETA, you're concerned about nothing, we're not interested in murder nor in using real pelt.
Most furries are also lovers of animals, and I'd doubt anyone, yet alone us, would like to use real animal pelt.
Materials for fursuits are bought online, and are not real. Anyone who says otherwise, probably owned one/saw it custom made, and in my mind amongst most other furs and people alike, is sickening to the gut. Most would disapprove of real pelt, as would I amongst many others.
As stated before, most furries will avoid real fur at all costs, and have the abilities to do so.

@Jym: No, as far as I know of there haven't been any furs wearing real tails as far as I know of, and I have attended several conventions in the past. All furries I've met so far, have not used real tails/real fur as of yet, to date, and I've been in the fandom for around 4 years. Although, I'd highly disapprove of real tails being sold and used in this manner. Besides, it's too inconvenient and morally wrong to use real fur, in any situation, because of pricing, and preserving the wildlife critters that run amok.

PETA, Could you perhaps research more? I know there's that niggling little tidbit in the back of your mind that says "These people might harm animals!", but I can assure you, like many other furries, that we haven't harmed animals.
Sure, maybe a select few sick ones might have done it, but that's only a "Maybe", and we do not approve of those that have used real fur, in any situation.

Please, if you do some research, you're more then likely to find out that the subject you've chosen to poke at, is probably only an extremely minor percent, and that minor percent of which whom chose to act inappropriately (Such as in this case, wearing real fur) is probably already frowned upon by their community. (Such as furries in the case of being against real fur)

Take some time to read up on information before informing others of your concern next time, as for us, those that own fursuits will stay in our fursuits that do not use real fur, and all of us will not harm animals like always for however long we've been in existence.

Regards,
An anonymous furry.

Posted by: Syde | June 17, 2009 09:22 AM

V,

I am a furry, and also a vegan. I'm pretty embarassed to say my tail is real fur, but I bought it a long time ago, when i was young, before I was even vegetarian, let alone vegan (and I was swayed by "ooh, they're "free range" foxes..." yeah. stupid for me to believe that or think it even mattered when they are being killed), and I feel it would be a waste to just get rid of it, but if it is ever broken or lost I would NEVER buy another real fur tail; I would buy synthetics just as every other furry does.

I have been a vegetarian for a long time now (lost count of how many years) and a vegan for over a year and a half, and I am strongly opposed to meat, dairy, leather, fur, wool, and any other product made at the expense of animals and their well-being.

Apologies to the little fox that i hurt and with promises it will NEVER, EVER happen again,
another anonymous furry

Posted by: L | June 17, 2009 11:32 AM

Dear PETA,

No furries use "Real fur" for their fursuits because: 1) it's just a bit sick and 2) it is an exteme health hazard.

Fursuits are made with Synthetic materials, not real fur.

And would it hurt to do some research on the fandom with out an assumption that furries make their suits out of real fur?

A

Posted by: A | June 17, 2009 01:14 PM

Okay, listen people. There are various levels of the furry fandom- so before you go shooting us down as one whole group let me clear this up. You first have the artists, like me, who are as normal as you and the next guy. We just like to draw werewolves and the like. THEN you have "furries" who wear the "fursuits" and run around like idiots in costumes and pretty much idolize the fandoms talented artists. It goes a lot deeper then I care to get into with these people, but I'm just going to say one thing to PETA. Furries are crazy. Crazy and HARMLESS. Most of them are so in belief that they are a "animal trapped in a human body" that they wouldn't dream of of wearing a murdered animals fur. Besides most of them ***DONT HAVE ANY MONEY***

so chill out.

Posted by: Terry | June 17, 2009 02:17 PM

Uh... wow. What makes you guys think any of us would wear real fur?

Setting aside any of the arugements about the use of animal products, Let's look at a few facts.

0)Boiler plate furry correction: only about one tenth of people at AC are Fursuiters. I think in 2007 there were about 2000 attendees and a little under two hundred suits in the parade thing. We don't all wear them. Good ones can cost thousands to have a talented suiter make, and not all of us want them anyway.

1) AC is in July, in Pittsburgh. That means even the acrylic or polyester fake furs suits are made from are fit to broil anybody. Actually using real fur, that hasn't been scientifically engineered to look and feel like fur without all that insulation? Dear god, what a mess.

2) The only case I've actually heard of somebody using actual animal parts (besides fur shed form rescued animals or shed antlers for jewelery) was about ten years ago when two idiots showed up with actual wolf tails at some small con out west. They were summarily tossed out, probably to save them from the embarrassment of becoming the first people to be beaten to death by enraged furries.

Posted by: Ferinoch | June 17, 2009 02:31 PM

Not all furries dress up in fursuits and go around looking all stupid you know. Just saying.

Posted by: Cero | June 17, 2009 05:01 PM

I consider being a furry wolf something spiritual. I feel a spiritual connection between me and wolves. It would be like killing my own family to wear a suit from a real fur...

Posted by: Greyfur | June 17, 2009 07:27 PM

A little research would have saved time on this one.

Some furries feel connections to the animals they choose. Others simply pick them because they're cool. None in their right mind would kill what they love to wear its skin.

Posted by: Nyomi | June 17, 2009 09:37 PM

Furry fandom has been around for some 20 years now and PETA is only now getting concerned about fur in the furry fandom?

My question is why didn't whoever wrote that letter do any research? It's painfully obvious they did little before sending it in.

1) At almost every convention there is always some sort of charity event that goes towards helping animals somewhere.

2) Why drag your politics into what is suppose to be a fun convention of like minded people?

3) The last sentence could be viewed as a threat. "Will you please let us know so that we may inform our members"? Or else the protesters and buckets of paint will be brought to future conventions? Nothing like letting the 'hardcore' PETA members loose on the furry fandom...

PETA itself has as much bad publicity as furries do, is it really that necessary to butt heads against someone in the same area of concern?

Please do your research next time before writing such a letter. You'd be surprised how many furries are more animal friendly than some of your own PETA members.

Posted by: LynnTerra | June 18, 2009 09:11 AM

Hi

As a furry. I have heard that all most all Furries are animal lovers as Nyomi has pointed out. But I do see the the valid conserns that PETA do to that fak that there are life like fake furs on the market. and it is true that all Fursuters will never use real furs in there sutes because it IS AGEINST the code of the furry to do so as well as it is just to dam expenceive.

Matt "LoneWolf" McCuen

Posted by: Matt | June 19, 2009 12:29 AM

Great Response Uncle Kage xD

Fursuits cost about 1000 bucks for a CHEAP one, I don't think we would wanna jack up that price, hmm?

Posted by: Sapphire | June 19, 2009 04:37 PM

well duh All fur in fursuits is 100% FAKE & simulated fur =P ask ANY furry what his or her suit fur is made of during the con

Posted by: microbuss | June 19, 2009 07:42 PM

Did I hear someone say that fursuiters wouldn't be able to afford real fur?

While the majority of furs are absolutely appalled by wearing fur, fursuiters are probably the most well-off when it comes to money. The suits can cost a fortune to have made/make!

Posted by: ShwintyKat | June 21, 2009 02:58 PM

ok im a furry and all my friends are fursuiters and we dotate to you guys every year. we support using fake fur. we protest killing animals...

Posted by: Chey | June 26, 2009 12:58 AM

I'm a fur, and I could also answer any following questions anyone has about us, we're not bad people, everyone is just too judge mental and harsh with their horrible opinions. Furries are friendly individuals, and I've never been happier to be one in my life

Why does everyone think so negatively bad about us, there is nothing wrong with us, we love animals and save them, I'm part of the Snow Leopard Trust, I've saved 3 of the little guys, so before everyone goes about and points fingers at us by saying mean rumors, lies, and such, why don't u shut up and keep yourselves opinions to yourselves, if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all, act like an adult, not a child.

We like animals and such the way everyone else likes sports, I mean come on...everyone's different, and there are far more worse people in this world. If anyone has questions, comment me or send me an email, but if you're just going to criticize me, call me names, or do anything harsh with crappy name calling, I'll block your email and make it so you can't send me anymore messages.

Posted by: Zharr J. Wolf | June 26, 2009 06:34 AM

Seriously. Think a bit for once.

and if you come to the con, feel free. Just be polite and then there will be no problems :3

No one wants their suits or weekend ruined by childishness of another group when most of us spent 300+ just to have a great vacation!

Posted by: Skookum | June 27, 2009 09:39 PM

Did PETA research how much money is donated to animal organizations by furry conventions every year, or how many hours of volunteering some of these furries do for animals?

First off, most furries couldnt afford a suit made of real fur. Secondly most other furs would probably tear the person apart that was wearing a 'real' fur suit.

Posted by: Matt | August 16, 2009 08:00 AM

Look im a furry and im not into any suits or anything im about 95% sure that furries hate it when people wear fur as i hate it when people do.

These people got the wrong idea.

Posted by: Peyton | September 3, 2009 06:38 PM

I'm a furry and I never, EVER use real fur. It sickens me that Peta would believe a furry would. As for the food thing. If our fursona happens to be a meat eater, we are meat eaters. There's nothing wrong be wanting to be a wolf to the fullest. We're only limited by the fact that we can't hunt and run in the wild.

Posted by: Annesian K | September 21, 2009 11:41 AM

So far, it seems like at least 27 furries have posted a comment. I think that the furry fandom might just take over the internet one day, like Youtube and Twitter.

Posted by: John | October 1, 2009 12:38 AM

*ahem*
I'm desperately trying to keep this PG..

You have reached a new low.
Have you become so desperate to the point where you harangue Anthro and Furry fans?

In case you are... (god this is hard to say nicely) so ignorant to not attempt even the smallest bit of research on Furry or Anthro costumes, I will help.

These costumes can be bought online and are, in most cases, very large. To buy One made out of real fur means one of two things
ONE: You are freaking LOADED and by some freak accident you stumbe across a company that produces that
TWO: You are daft. Do you have ANY idea how hot real fur is? I thought not.
Fake fur is much more comfortable for the long hours one might stay in costume.

And that letter? Totally laughable.
Why not just ask about the convention instead of subtly condemn?

Posted by: Nali | November 7, 2009 09:26 PM