Tell us about your pet, and we'll find people who can preserve them
Freeze-drying alone takes 3–6 months (small pets)[1], so the sooner you know your options, the sooner your pet's place in the queue is settled. Send a few details and we'll reply by email.
- Practitioners who take your species and size
- Published prices and realistic waiting times
- No obligation, and your pet stays safely frozen meanwhile
First things first
Is your pet frozen? Do this before filling in the form
If your pet died in the last few hours and isn't in a freezer yet, stop reading and do that first. Lay them on their side in a natural resting shape, seal them in two heavy plastic bags with the air squeezed out, and put them in the coldest freezer you have. The form will still be here in twenty minutes.
If your pet is at a veterinary clinic, call and ask them to keep your pet frozen and to hold off sending them for cremation. Clinics often have an arrangement with a crematory that collects on set days, so it's worth being clear. Our suitability checklist lists what practitioners will ask about how your pet died and was stored.
The useful details
What to tell us so the reply actually helps
- Species and breed, for example "domestic shorthair cat", "cockatiel" or "Labrador mix".
- Approximate weight. It sets the price more than anything else; a guess is fine.
- Where you are, city and state or country, so we can include practitioners who accept pets from your area. Our locations pages show how this works by area.
- How your pet is stored now and roughly when they died. Frozen within hours is very different from a day at room temperature.
- What you're considering: freeze-drying, taxidermy, a paw or tail, a skull, or you're not sure.
- A pose, if you have one in mind, such as curled asleep or sitting up.
- Your budget range and any deadline, if you have them.
If you'd like a figure before you write, the preservation cost estimator gives you a range by method, size and pose. It helps you tell us a realistic budget.
Free tool
Freeze-dry & taxidermy cost estimator
Estimate cost and waiting time for freeze-drying or taxidermy by size and pose.
After you press send
What happens after you send your details
We read your request and look for independent practitioners who work with your species and size and will take a pet from where you are, whether by drop-off or frozen shipping. We reply by email with what we find: who they are, the prices and waiting times they publish or quote, and how they like pets delivered.
Then it's up to you. You contact the practitioner directly, look at their finished pets, and agree terms with them. Nothing you send us commits you to anything. Many readers find it helps to compare two quotes; our guide to evaluating a preservation commission explains what to look for.
Being clear
What we can help with, and what we can't
We can explain the methods, suggest practitioners who take your kind of pet, share published prices and wait times, and point you to lighter options like a paw cast or partial piece if full preservation isn't right. We can also help you think through the total spend with the memorial budget planner.
We can't collect your pet, store them, ship them or do any preservation ourselves. We can't promise a practitioner will accept your pet, because that depends on its condition when they see it. And we can't give veterinary, legal or medical advice. If you're struggling with the loss itself, that matters too: 66.9%[2] of bereaved owners in the RSPCA's large UK survey were surprised by how intense their grief was. If you need someone to talk to, the Cornell Pet Loss Support Hotline and the Tufts Pet Loss Support Helpline are free to call.
How do you feel about waiting months for a preserved pet to come home?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Money
If the cost is part of what's worrying you
You're not alone. When a US survey asked owners about paying for a pet's care after death, 61%[3] said the cost was a concern. Preservation is the most expensive route there is. One industry report puts a typical freeze-dry quote at USD 1,000–2,000[4], before a display case or shipping. By our estimate, freeze-drying a cat or small dog costs ~10×[5] as much as a private cremation.
Say so in your request and we'll include lower-cost routes, like a single preserved paw with cremation, or a clay cast you make before your pet leaves home. The hybrid cast plus cremation guide shows how those combine, and the services page compares every option side by side. The poll results show how other readers felt about cost.
Your information
How we handle your details and photos
We use what you send only to reply to your request and find suitable practitioners. We don't sell your details or add you to marketing lists. You don't need to send photos of your pet's body; if a practitioner needs them to judge condition, they'll ask you directly.
Photos of your pet when they were alive are a different matter. Practitioners find them enormously helpful for getting faces, ears and markings right, so start gathering your favorites now. You can read more about how this site works on our about page.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
If your pet died today, could you freeze them properly within a few hours?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
How do you feel about waiting months for a preserved pet to come home?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Did you (or would you) compare more than one provider?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Questions people ask
How quickly should I get in touch?
Freeze your pet first; that's the urgent part. Once they're frozen solid and properly wrapped, you have time to ask questions and compare practitioners, usually weeks rather than hours. Getting in touch early simply means you learn about waiting lists and shipping sooner, which helps you plan.
Do I have to decide on a method before I contact you?
No. Plenty of people write in saying they're not sure whether they want freeze-drying, taxidermy or just a paw. Tell us your pet's species, size and how they're stored, and mention what you're drawn to. We'll include a mix of options and explain how they differ for your pet.
Will you share my pet's details with practitioners?
We use your details to find practitioners who might suit, and we reply to you by email with their information so you can contact them yourself. We don't sell your information or sign you up for marketing. If you'd rather we didn't mention something, just say so in your message.
What if my pet wasn't frozen straight away?
Tell us exactly what happened: when your pet died, where they were kept and for how long. Some pets kept cool for a day are still workable; others aren't. A practitioner can only judge properly once they see your pet, but an honest account helps us point you to people who'll give you a straight answer.
Can you help with a bird, reptile or very small pet?
Yes. Small and unusual pets need practitioners who are comfortable with delicate work, and fewer people take them, so it helps to say exactly what species your pet is. For protected native species, rules on preserving and keeping them can apply, and practitioners will check before accepting.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] Freeze-dry preservation takes 3–6 months for small pets, 7+ months for large dogs and up to a year for very large animals. Astute Analytica via GlobeNewswire — Global Pet Preservation Services Market to Hit USD 112.7 Million by 2032 (Apr 2, 2024), 2024.
- [2] 66.9% of respondents were surprised by how intense their grief was after losing a pet. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
- [3] 61% of US owners in the Cooney survey rated the cost of after-death body care as a concern (27.9% concerned, 33.1% very concerned). Cooney, Kogan, Brooks, Ellis - Pet Owners' Expectations for Pet End-of-Life Support and After-Death Body Care, Topics in Companion Animal Medicine (2020), 2020.
- [4] Freeze-drying a pet typically costs USD 1,000–2,000. Astute Analytica via GlobeNewswire — Global Pet Preservation Services Market to Hit USD 112.7 Million by 2032 (Apr 2, 2024), 2024.
- [5] Freeze-drying a cat or small dog costs about 10 times a private cremation. Our estimate: midpoint freeze-dry $1,750 ($1,000–$2,500) / $175 (private cremation 3–24 lb, NC provider). How we calculate.
Request pet preservation options
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.