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FAQ

I have a pet I would like to have preserved; what do I need to consider?

Amidst the grief of your loss, it is important to take the time you need to calmly decide on your wish for preservation. Therefore, it is often advisable to freeze the animal initially. Please feel free to seek support from those around you if you find this emotionally difficult. (If you are unable to freeze the animal yourself—or have your veterinary practice do so—due to its size, please contact me immediately; we will find a solution!) Please freeze your animal in a tightly sealed plastic bag as soon as possible. If your pet is larger than a domestic cat, do not seal the bag completely until it has been freezing for 24 hours; this prevents a microclimate from forming inside the bag before the animal's core temperature has dropped. Once your animal is frozen in a more or less airtight manner, you are no longer under time pressure. Ensure the animal is positioned with its limbs tucked close to the body. For birds, please ensure (e.g., using a piece of cardboard) that long tail feathers do not bend or break, and keep the wings tucked in. This ensures optimal thawing and preserves the quality of the fur or feathers. Animals that have suffered from diseases transmissible to humans cannot be accepted.

What is the process for pet preservation, from drop-off to completion? During a drop-off appointment at the studio, we will discuss all details regarding the pose and presentation. For pets, please have reference photos ready showing the animal from all angles at eye level. Ideally, you should have a photo showing the exact pose you desire. You will receive a service agreement outlining all costs and the delivery date. I will then need several months to preserve the skin and create the body form. Delivery of the appropriate eyes can also take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Once the mount is nearly complete, we can arrange a follow-up appointment at the studio to fine-tune the specific facial expression of your dog or cat—after all, you know your pet best. (This is not possible for birds or reptiles.) At this stage, the pose generally cannot be altered, or only minimally so. The mount must then dry for several weeks before it can be painted. I will contact you when it is finished; you can either collect the mount yourself or, provided it is not too fragile, have it delivered by a shipping service.

I have a game animal I would like to have preserved; what do I need to keep in mind? Please ensure the incision is made in a way suitable for taxidermy. If freezing the animal, please follow the same procedure as for pets. If you have an appointment to bring a fresh specimen, please do not use a sealed bag for transport or storage. Even just a few hours of storage without refrigeration significantly reduces the quality of the hide, and successful preservation can no longer be guaranteed. Animals that suffered from diseases transmissible to humans cannot be accepted. Can I bury my pet after preservation? For the preservation process, the body (minus the hide) serves as a reference for creating an artificial body. You can have your pet's remains returned to you for burial after preservation. They will be handed over to you wrapped in a cloth and placed in a cardboard box. Please inform me of your wishes regarding the burial before preservation begins, and make the necessary arrangements with a pet funeral service in advance.

What documents or permits do I need to have an animal preserved (taxidermy)? General: Check the animal's protection status via WISIA Online. Further information: Requirements regarding the use of dead protected animals. You can also find information on CITES here. For Appendix A species, the CITES document must be updated to change the status from "live" (LIV) to "dead" (BOD). For native species that are not game animals, preservation is generally permitted only for educational purposes. If you do not yet have the necessary authorization, please apply for it from your local nature conservation authority. If the animal was found dead and falls under hunting regulations, a copy of the hunter's hunting license or a declaration of transfer of ownership from the person entitled to hunt (accompanied by a copy of their hunting license) is required. Do you intend to have an existing taxidermy mount restored? If so, please provide proof of prior ownership (invoice, witness statement, etc.). You do not need any documents for common pets such as dogs, cats, guinea pigs, or budgerigars. StillLeben Tierpräparation generally provides taxidermy services and does not cover the costs for permits or documentation; you are responsible for obtaining the correct paperwork. This subject matter is complex, but please do not be deterred; feel free to contact me or your local nature conservation authority if you have any questions.

How is an animal preserved? A taxidermy mount consists of an animal's preserved skin and an artificial body. OR: A mount is a unique sculpture incorporating the animal's actual skin. First, the skin is removed from the body—a process technically known as "skinning" or "skin recovery." The skin is cleaned and treated with a special tanning process designed for taxidermy. Unlike the tanning used for leather or fur, this process ensures the skin dries firm and rigid on the mount, rather than remaining flexible. The artificial body is handcrafted based on the original animal's measurements and anatomy. It is created either by wrapping wood wool around a core structure (an additive process) or by casting polyurethane foam, which is then carved and sanded (a subtractive process). Wires and threaded rods provide structural stability. Details are modeled onto the artificial body using clay; the face, in particular, requires careful attention. Artificial eyes are inserted, and the skin is fitted, glued, and sewn into place. For birds, every feather is individually adjusted to its correct position; for mammals, the skin is carefully aligned. The mount is then left to dry. Finally, the "finishing" stage involves coloring and styling to add the last touches. The amount of work involved varies depending on the animal species and size. The taxidermy process typically spans several days or weeks. What happens to the eyes? The eyes are replaced with glass eyes.