Pet Memorials

Preparing to order a pet memorial commission piece involves reflecting on your pet’s life and the type of tribute you’d like to create. Start by gathering meaningful details—your pet’s name, personality, favorite colors, and any items you might want to include, such as ashes, a collar, tags, or photos. Consider the style and format of the artwork: a shadow box, framed piece, sculpture, or even mummified or osteological pieces, if applicable. Think about the mood or message you want the piece to convey—peaceful, symbolic, joyful, or sentimental. Setting a budget and timeframe is also helpful. The more you share with me, the more personal and meaningful your custom memorial will be.

Preservation is not replication. It will not restore your pet exactly as they were in life. Instead, it transforms them — still, delicate, permanent. The process honors form, not animation.

There may be natural changes in texture or color; these are part of the quiet truth of preservation. Our goal is reverent accuracy, not illusion.

If this choice feels tender or strange, know that it is simply another way of loving — a devotion expressed through form instead of memory.

Whether you choose preservation, burial, or another farewell, what matters most is care. There is nothing morbid in remembering well.

“The truest preservation is not of the body, but of the bond.”

Once your pet has passed, gentle preservation begins with proper handling.

• Refrigerate, don’t freeze. If preservation is your intention, do not freeze the remains — freezing can damage tissues and complicate later work. Instead, wrap your pet in an unbleached cotton cloth or paper, place them in a sealed plastic bag, and keep them cool (refrigerated or on ice).
• Avoid chemical contact. Do not apply oils, perfumes, or any external substances to the body, as these can interfere with later processes.
• Contact us promptly. The sooner we’re notified, the better we can advise you on preservation conditions and coordinate transport.

If you are not ready to decide immediately, refrigeration allows you a small window of time — usually 24 to 48 hours — to make your choice without pressure.

Before your consultation, it may help to consider what type of memorial feels most aligned with your pet and your own comfort:

Mummification

For those drawn to ancient stillness and minimal alteration, mummification preserves the complete body through careful, natural desiccation.

The process is quiet and contemplative — moisture withdrawn, form retained. The resulting remains are dry, odorless, and stable, ideal for gentle display in glass or linen wrapping.

Best suited for: Small pets such as reptiles, rodents, birds, and small cats or dogs.
Timeframe: 2–4 months
Includes: Controlled drying, optional wrapping or display case, and sealing for longevity.

Wet Preservation

A method of lasting remembrance that preserves the animal — or a part thereof — suspended in clear preservation fluid within sealed glass.

The effect is both scientific and poetic, evoking the calm stillness of natural history collections. Each specimen is prepared with safety and artistry, suitable for private display or study.

Best suited for: Small animals or partial memorials (paws, hearts, skulls, or fetal forms).
Timeframe: 1–2 months
Includes: Professional fixation, fluid preparation, sealed vessel, and labeling.

Taxidermy - NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

A lifelike preservation of your companion’s form and expression.
Each mount is sculpted individually, allowing for natural, relaxed postures that capture the essence of the animal — not merely its likeness.

Best suited for: Cats, dogs, birds, reptiles, and small mammals.
Timeframe: 3–8 months
Includes: Consultation, pose planning, form sculpting, finishing, and sealed display preparation.

We offer both realistic mounts and artistic interpretations with subtle, naturalistic flourishes — a paw lifted, a head turned, an expression familiar to those who knew them best.

If you are unsure, we can help you decide after seeing photos and hearing about your companion’s personality, size, and your emotional vision for the memorial.

Artistic style and the type of memorial you'd like to create should also be considered. A variety of personalized options to create a meaningful tribute may include:

• Artwork Style: Choose from shadow boxes, framed displays, glass domes, or mixed-media pieces.
• Inclusions: Incorporate personal items such as ashes, collars, tags, paw prints, or photographs.
• Materials: Options may include natural elements (flowers, wood, stones), resin, preserved specimens, or symbolic objects.
• Design Themes: Select a theme that reflects your pet’s spirit—peaceful, nature-inspired, whimsical, minimalist, or sentimental.
• Color Palette: Customize colors to match your pet’s appearance or favorite accessories.
• Processing Options: Available options for pet memorials include preserving elements such as the skull, fur, or loose bones, as well as full-body or partial (i.e. paw) mummification (small animals only), allowing for a deeply personal and respectful tribute tailored to your preferences.

Each piece is thoughtfully crafted to honor your pet’s memory in a beautiful and lasting way.

Before beginning, we encourage clients to write a short note, memory, or intention to accompany their pet during preservation. Some choose to send a small token — a collar tag, tuft of fur, or pressed flower — to be included in or returned with the final piece.

These gestures help ground the process in remembrance rather than loss. Preservation, at its best, is a ritual — a way to acknowledge that what was loved still deserves care.

Every preservation is a bespoke commission, crafted with the same care and precision one would give to a portrait or relic. Because each animal, method, and display is unique, pricing and timelines vary.

Generally, taxidermy memorials require the most intricate work and may take anywhere from three to eight months to complete, depending on size and pose. These pieces typically range from $600 to $3,000 or more, reflecting the time and artistry involved.

Mummification offers a simpler yet equally meaningful preservation, often completed within two to four months. Costs for this method generally fall between $300 and $1,200, varying by size and display choice.

For wet preservation, which involves preparing and suspending your pet (or a part thereof) within glass vessels, the process usually takes one to two months, with costs beginning around $200 and averaging up to $800.

A 50% non-refundable* deposit is required to begin your commission, with the remaining balance due upon completion. Every quote includes all handling, materials, and final presentation work. Before any payment is made, you’ll receive a detailed estimate outlining what to expect at each stage of the process.

We understand that memorial work carries both emotional and financial weight. To make this process more accessible, payment plans are available — allowing the total to be divided across the duration of your project. This ensures that the decision to preserve your companion remains guided by care and readiness, never urgency.

Our goal is always transparency and respect — ensuring that the financial aspect feels as thoughtful and steady as the craft itself.

*except in special circumstances, determined by and at the discretion of Peculiar Botany.

Each region has its own regulations regarding the handling and transport of animal remains. In Texas (and most U.S. states), it is legal for owners to keep preserved remains of their pets, but transporting them across state lines may require documentation or health certification.

Peculiar Botany adheres to strict ethical and legal standards for all memorial work:

• Only animals that were personal pets or ethically obtained are accepted.
• No wild or illegally sourced specimens are used or incorporated.
• All transport and handling follow applicable biohazard safety and shipping regulations.

Our documentation process includes a simple authorization form confirming ownership and consent, ensuring the entire process remains transparent and lawful.

Each preservation is a living collaboration between time, material, and intention. Estimated execution times may vary depending on shipping, the processing of your specimen, the collection of materials, and the careful curation each piece requires.

Most memorials require a minimum of eight weeks to complete, though some may finish sooner and others need longer — patience is, after all, part of preservation. Expedited requests may be considered for an additional fee, provided we can confidently complete the work within the requested timeframe.

Throughout the process, you’ll receive biweekly photo updates documenting the piece as it comes to life (and stillness). Should you wish to adjust the artistic direction during creation, changes are possible for an added fee, reflecting the additional time and materials required.

All specimen selections and aesthetic preferences — such as color palette, presentation, or substitute specimens — can be refined prior to signing the commission agreement. Once the agreement is finalized, changes can still be made, though they will incur both a fee and a new completion estimate.

If you are providing your own specimen, we will supply a shipping address once payment has been received in full or once 50% of the total cost has been paid. Shipping to Peculiar Botany is at your expense, while return shipping is included in your commission total. You will be notified immediately upon the specimen’s safe arrival, and work will begin at that time.

A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to begin your commission. The remaining 50% balance is due upon completion. For clients who prefer to divide payments, custom payment plans are available; however, creation will not begin until at least half of the total cost has been received.

Etsy and similar marketplaces are wonderful sources for reviewing and researching potential specimens or display elements. If you’d prefer guidance, we are always happy to provide additional recommendations and source ethically appropriate options on your behalf.

Every memorial follows its own rhythm — a balance of art, biology, and care. The process is never rushed, only refined.

Peculiar Botany approaches every preservation with the utmost care, respect, and professionalism. However, due to the highly individualized nature of biological preservation, results may vary depending on the condition of the specimen, method selected, and environmental factors beyond our control.

All preservation processes — including taxidermy, mummification, and wet preservation — involve natural materials that may experience minor variations in color, texture, or form over time. These are not flaws but natural outcomes of organic preservation.

Once work has begun, deposits are non-refundable, as each project requires irreversible preparation and materials. Changes to design, method, or specimen after a signed agreement may result in additional costs and extended timelines.

Clients providing their own specimens are responsible for ensuring they are legally and ethically obtained, and for following all care and shipping instructions provided. Peculiar Botany is not liable for damage incurred during shipping to our studio, improper storage prior to delivery, or natural deterioration caused by delay.

All preserved memorials are intended for decorative and commemorative purposes only. They are not toys, medical specimens, or functional artifacts, and should be kept out of reach of children and pets. Proper environmental conditions — such as cool, dry spaces away from direct sunlight — are essential for long-term preservation.

By commissioning Peculiar Botany, the client acknowledges understanding of the preservation process, inherent natural variation, and the limitations of organic materials. Peculiar Botany reserves the right to decline or discontinue any commission that does not meet ethical, legal, or professional standards.

Each memorial is a collaboration between nature, time, and remembrance. While no preservation can return life, it can offer form to the love that remains.