I am a freelance Taxidermist, I work for several studios in Western Washington State. A studio in Lakewood Wa. wants to specialize in pets. I would like to here some feedback on this issue from other taxidermists.
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Hello, not sure about the reast of the guys, but pets is the toughest of them all. Not for the work, but for the element needed to please the customer, or should i say to give them back what they expect. I have always priced pets about 75% higher than an average mount because of the expectation factor. If you give most people the time to think it over, they will not have Fluffy mounted. There expectations of how they remember fluffy cannot be reproduced by the best taxidermist. We may do a fine anotomical job of reproducing the certain specie of dog, cat, etc, but it seems pet owners also want us to give the animal back its personality which we cannot do. They might rtemember Fluffy's look right before they throw it a ball or something, and we cannot reproduce what they remember in their hearts. Their are some very very fine taxidermists on this site, and i bet they will tell you the same thing. I charge 75% more, not to be greedy, but in hopes they will only change their minds!
Tom
I still think its gross. It makes my skin crawl. Ive been in taxidermy for 30+ years. Many of course think its great, to each his own.
Everyone that I have ever known who does it has regretted it. I don't tell the customer NO, I price it 4X higher than I would the comparible wild animal. Example for a fox size pet it would be $2000. You can never make the cuatomer happy. I have had several come to me with "fix it" requests after they found someone who would do it. It just isn't worth the problems.
Try them next time, You may find your question unnecessary.
I think it should be explained to the customer that Spot and Fluffy may not look like they did when they romped and played in the back yard, but you know what, I have yet to see a human corpse lying in a casket in a funeral parlor look like they did in life either. That to me is totally morbid. Yet the majority of people do it. To each his own.
But I hope they have some other types of work also planned. I think the volume would be extremly low, and the level of customer satisfaction even lower. (See all of the posts above) And then you have the antis from Seattle. It's not something I would want to get into, although I will mount pet birds.
Lakewood, eh? I will keep that in mind if I get any "dead Fido" calls.
'Just down the road a ways in Shelton,
Nancy M.
I understand exactly what ya'll are talking about (the fact that a mounted pet will never look exactly like he did when he was alive). But I think, when I get a studio, that I would like to do pets. I would just thoroughly explain to the customer how I could never recreate their pet exactly like it was when alive. BUT, if they really wanted to have it done, then I would do it. I mean, what if someone REALLY wants to have a pet mounted, no matter what? Who would they turn to?
I don't have a problem with skinning and mounting domestic animals. I've skinned four cats so far.
Amy
http://taxidermy.cjb.net
talk them into haveing them mounted in a sleeping pose then they look like they are just asleep instead of mounted.
we do pets, mostly cats. one thing i did not see mentioned here is how to get your money. we demand 100% payment up front, most folks will change their minds about mounting the pet after a few days. and we only mount them lying down, as this seems to result in a more natural look that the owner is happy with. and we do charge about twice as much as we would for a similar wild critter.
$3500.00 for a house cat and $5000.00 for a dog. Done two cats so far. The rules are...if you cry when you bring your pet in it costs you another $500. If you cry when you pick them up its another $500...AND cash upfront...no refunds....signed contract, and at least 25 live regference photos . All mounts are skinned, individual body casts, tanned skin and foam form from the original casting. No problems as yet...from the ones willing to spend the money anyway.
Western WA taxidermist...........how much are you thinking of charging for fluffy and toto?