Aussie family turns pet dog into ornamental rug: 'Not for me'
A grieving Aussie family who lost their beloved pet has found a way to preserve the dog forever, but not everyone is fond of the "interesting" keepsake.
Melbourne-based company Chimera Taxidermy shared a video on social media revealing how the skin and fur of the golden retriever had been preserved so it can be on display in the family's home.
"Beautiful old golden retriever preserved as a pelt for his family," 29-year-old owner Maddy captioned the video.
In the comments, she explained "the pelt has been tanned and turned to leather so the fur won't fall out," meaning it'll remain in good condition for years to come.
Mixed feelings about 'interesting' method
The approach received mixed responses from people online and while some loved the "beautiful" idea others weren't so sure.
"This is interesting but certainly isn’t for everyone," one said.
"My memories give me peace, I couldn't do this, it would make it harder for me," wrote another.
A third said while the idea is "sweet" and could be "good for the right person," they, personally, weren't sold on the idea.
Pet taxidermy 'becoming more popular'
Speaking with Yahoo News Australia, Maddy, who's based on the Mornington Peninsula, agreed "it's definitely not for everyone" and said she "absolutely respects that".
"Pet taxidermy has only really become more popular in the last five years or so, so it's a very new thing to see for most people," she said.
"Some are more of a sentimental keepsake, others are on display resting in their beds or however their owners wanted them preserved," she said of the pelts.
"Most of the requests I get are for full taxidermy mounts," she added.
"Pelt preservation is less commonly asked for, but I still do quite a few pelts."
It's not just dogs that she preserves but other animals too.
"I've been asked to preserve pet cats, dogs, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, pretty much any pet you can think of," she said.
The 29-year-old, who shares her work online, started taxidermy when she was just 18, but has been doing pets exclusively for almost three years.
"It's sometimes difficult working with pets compared to other animals," she said.
"But it's more rewarding to be able to help people with their grief and allow them to keep a part of their pet forever."
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