Constructing a Hobby Animal
Before starting, ensure that your team accept the need for proper funding. You should have access to whatever you need, as you want it You may reduce costs by exploiting your colleagues, but you must be prepared to pay quite heavily if necessary, to get the best materials or skills. Remember, your goal is strength, durability and a long, long life, and that there is a great difference between saving money, and doing it on the cheap.
Considering the labour involved in construction, there is no economy more false than that made by using second-rate materials.
Whilst it is not a prerequisite, you may feel that you would like to learn about the traditional background before you start. The definitive work is
Ritual Animal Disguise by E C CAWTE. Folklore Society, 1978. I know of no discursive study of revival animals, but the Morris Ring has a Beastly section in its Archive. The present Keeper of the Animal Archive, is Phil Underwood, who collects material from outside the Ring as well. If you are contemplating a really exotic beast it might be as well to check with Phil to see if someone has beaten you to it. There is no reason why there shouldn't be two, but it would be good to know in advance. In any case, Phil would be delighted to receive details and pictures of your new creation when it's finished. His address will be in the Morris Ring List.