As regards the preparation (embalming – taxidermy) of a pet, for example a dog, cat, or parrot, it must be said that the final result of this process should be understood as a good compromise between what the subject was in life and the new taxidermied (embalmed) subject. To those who decide to take this path, I say with the utmost honesty and admiration that theirs is an excellent choice to suffer less from the loss of their “beloved friend” and that the final result after the preparation stages is the consolation they seek.
Expectations are very high for this type of work. The taxidermist’s job differs greatly depending on whether the client is an institution (natural history museum), a hunter, or a citizen who happens to find a dead wild animal in a forest or on the side of a road and commissions its preparation; or whether the request comes from a private citizen whose beloved pet has died and wants to have it embalmed.
When preparing a wild animal, such as a roe deer, a deer, or a wild boar, we follow the rules of “classic” taxidermy. There is a standard anatomical model to which the skin is adapted and crystal eyes are applied. That roe deer or wild boar does not evoke a specific, intimate memory for the person who commissioned the embalming. In such cases, we proceed by giving the wild animal the maximum splendor possible (based on our skill as taxidermists) but we stick to the general characteristics of the species.
On the contrary, with the embalming of domestic animals, the situation becomes more complicated. We must try to give them back their soul: their peculiar expression and their peculiar movements.
In this particular type of taxidermy, we strive to work hard on the movements and expressions that remind the owner of their cat or dog, with whom they may have lived for many years. At that point, we also work closely with our clients. We constantly receive and send photos on WhatsApp, study all the available material, and ask for feedback before finally completing the work. The job of a pet taxidermist is a demanding one because you have to be more careful than usual and have a greater sensitivity to detail.