Bringing Animal Friends to This Winter's Comic Cons

Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash

Few events are quite as big in the world of digital media as comic conventions. Not confined to the warmer seasons, as GamesRadar highlights, some of the biggest in the industry - including LA Comic Con - will be taking place between the end of November and spring. For many super fans and geeks, some of the most vibrant characters in their respective fandoms will be the animals - and it’s very common to see pets accompanying cosplayers to conventions, either as a companion or as a standalone character. This is a great way to get chatting at conventions, and will build great memories, but it’s important to take some principles on board first.

Keeping your pet warm

Animals have layers of fur, and owners will be all too aware of how their pet and the specific breed it comes from reacts to cold. Nevertheless, as USA Today highlights, all animals will experience the same problems that humans encounter with cold, and you need to protect them. That means, for winter cons, ensuring that costumes are kept inside the warm interiors of expo centers, and that animals are wrapped up outside and on the way. This is an especially important principle if a pet is mirroring some of the less cold-weather-appropriate cosplays that you might see from Genshin Impact or God of War. Warm clothing for the pet is an easy way to achieve this, and can double as a cushion for driving to and rom.

Checking for their comfort

Animals obviously have very specific needs throughout the day that they can’t as easily make obvious. It’s also unfair to expect to have a higher tolerance, as a human bound up in a difficult cosplay option might be. As such, ensure that you keep a close eye on the animal throughout the day at the convention - are they overwhelmed? Have they had enough chances to eat, drink, and use the bathroom? Is their costume appropriate and allows them to move comfortably and without feeling constrained or uncomfortable?

Having fun

Of course, the main benefit to having a pet in cosplay is the fun memories you can build and getting them dressed in a way reminiscent of fandoms. Think Dogmeat from Fallout 4 and his red neckerchief; Scooby-Doo’s iconic blue collar; Conker’s crown; and Star Fox’s head gear. This will obviously have your animal attracting a lot of attention from other convention-goers, with lots of photographs being taken and lots of posing. Again, just ensure that your animal is stimulated and happy, but not over-stimulated. They should be heading home feeling happy and encouraged, rather than worn down and overly tired.

All that said, conventions are a great place for human-animal duos to go and strut their stuff. Some of the best forms of media have animals at the heart of their story, and that’s something to reflect and celebrate with cosplay. Just make sure your animal friend is happy the entire time, despite the cold.