A woman has opened up about her decision to spend £4,000 to stuff her dead cat after it was killed by a car.
In September 2021, Harriet Peace's cat, Tango, was hit by a car and sadly died as a result.
But the 28-year-old nursing assistant decided she didn't want to go down the conventional grieving route by burying or cremating him and instead, she spent £4,000 to have her late feline friend stuffed instead.
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Harriet explained how 'devastated' she was when Tango passed away that she just 'couldn't bring [herself] to have him cremated'.
Despite his rather awful cause of death, Harriet said Tango looked like he was asleep and had no visible injuries on his body.
"When someone mentioned taxidermy it sounded like the perfect way for him to be with me forever."
Harriet admitted her partner at the time was fairly horrified by the idea. However, she committed to it and quickly put the cat's body in the freezer to prepare him for the procedure.
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In order to be stuffed, Tango had to travel to London to visit a specialist called Get Stuffed. To preserve the cat properly, several oils and chemicals had to be used and the whole process took seven months to be completed.
Harriet noted how 'nervous' she was when she dropped Tango off because she worried he would 'look different'. But when she picked him up on 26 April, that she knew it was 'all worth it'.
The grieving pet owner requested Tango be preserved in a position which made him looking like he was asleep.
"I couldn't believe it. His fur and everything - it was amazing. He is so realistic," she said.
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Harriet added that Tango looked 'exactly' like he used to when alive and that she is 'so happy' to 'have him here to remember him'.
Despite being overjoyed with the results herself and thinking it was 'an amazing thing to do,' Harriet noted she 'learnt quickly that everyone has different views on it'.
"Everyone jumps to the conclusion it is disgusting or degrading or prevents an animal from being at peace, but it's done very respectfully.
"If you had the chance to have your pet preserved how it was before for the rest of your life, wouldn't you do it?" she said.
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The nursing assistant stated that having Tango stuffed is the 'best decision' she 'ever could have made', noting how the cat was 'like [her] child' and had 'been through so much' with her.
"I thought I'd have him for at least ten years - he was my wee sidekick. Taxidermy sounded like the perfect way for him to be with me forever," she explained.
Harriet resolved: "It's not for everyone but honestly, I couldn't thank the man who did it enough.
"After losing my best friend it's the best gift anyone could give me."
Poppy Bilderbeck