How to Hire a Pet Taxidermist

Taxidermy is the art of preserving dead animals, such as fish, deer, antelope or wild birds. But some people want to preserve the remains of the family pet. Here's how to hire a pet taxidermist.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Keep your pet in the freezer once he is dead. It's best to keep him or her frozen at least a month until you are sure you really want to have him preserved. Allow yourself time to adjust to the loss of your pet.
2. Plan to spend at least twice as much on taxidermy for a pet as you would for wild game. Not many taxidermists do pets.
3. Ask each taxidermist in your area whether he does pets. If so, make sure he does the work there and does not send the pet off somewhere else. If your pet is farmed out for the cheapest place available, the quality of the work might be disappointing.
4. Choose your pet taxidermist by the quality of her work. Look at some of her finished jobs--how life-like they are. Taxidermy is a combination of many skills like carpentry, woodworking, painting, drawing, molding and casting.
5. Have photos of your pet available if possible. Photos while she was doing her favorite things and looking her cutest will help the taxidermist make your pet seem more alive.
6. Consider having your pet freeze-dried. This form of taxidermy is quite realistic and sometimes less expensive.

Tips & Warnings

• If you can't find a taxidermist in your area who does pets, look online.