Pet Preservation in Pennsylvania
If your pet has just died and you might want them preserved, the only urgent job is getting them frozen. Everything else about preservation in Pennsylvania, from choosing a method to finding a practitioner, can wait until they are.
- Freeze-drying, taxidermy or a partial keepsake
- Honest about waits and results
- Written quotes you can compare
Pennsylvania, the United States
Pet Preservation in Pennsylvania: what to know
In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia sees summer highs of about 88°F, while winter lows fall near 16°F in Johnstown. That range affects preservation in two ways: how fast you need to act after a death, and how a finished piece should be kept at home afterward. Each city page for Pennsylvania covers both.
Nobody in Pennsylvania should feel rushed into preservation. Clinics, crematories and even kind relatives may press for a quick decision, usually for good reasons of their own. A frozen pet takes that pressure away. You can take a week, compare written quotes, look at partial keepsakes and talk it through at home before committing.
We cover 36 communities in Pennsylvania, from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown to smaller towns. Conditions vary a lot across Pennsylvania: summer highs reach about 88°F in Philadelphia, while winter lows average 16°F in Johnstown. In 100% of the Pennsylvania communities we cover, average lows drop below freezing for three months or more, which matters for home burial.
Our estimate
1,180,000
Estimated pet-owning households across the communities we cover in Pennsylvania
How we calculated this
The sum of our per-city estimates for the 36 communities in Pennsylvania on this site: each city's population ÷ national average household size × the national share of households with a pet. Households with several pets count once.
Every Pennsylvania community we cover
Choose your city or town for local prices, weather and timing, and rules. 36 communities in Pennsylvania, largest first below.
- Philadelphia1,574,281 people
- Pittsburgh307,632 people
- Allentown126,044 people
- Reading95,832 people
- Erie91,838 people
- Bethlehem79,644 people
- Scranton75,514 people
- Lancaster58,366 people
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How Pennsylvania thinks about cremation, and where preservation fits
In Pennsylvania, cremation accounts for about 61.3%[1] of human deaths, so both burial and cremation traditions run through local families. If relatives feel strongly one way, a preserved pet can seem out of step. Many families settle on something in between, like a freeze-dried paw kept on a shelf with the rest of the pet buried or cremated as the family prefers.
NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024) publishes the Pennsylvania rate we quote. Read it as the local custom around cremation rather than as pet data.
How much to budget for preservation
Pet insurance rarely helps here. Standard policies generally don't cover aftercare, and end-of-life add-ons have low ceilings; one wellness add-on could reimburse up to $650[2] toward cremation, burial and keepsakes. Budget from savings, try our preservation cost estimator and ask whether the practitioner takes a deposit up front with the balance due before return shipping.
It helps to set preservation beside ordinary aftercare. Private dog cremation averages about $260[3] nationally, while one price guide puts freeze-drying a cat or little dog at $1,000–$2,500[4]. By our estimate, that makes freeze-drying roughly ten times the price of a private cremation[5]. Seen that way, a single preserved paw with the rest cremated can be a sensible middle path for families in Pennsylvania.
| Pet and method | Published price | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried pet under 1 lb (hamster, budgie, small lizard) | USD 650[6] | 4 to 6 months[6] |
| Freeze-dried pet of 1 to 6 lb | $1,250–$2,095[7] | 6 to 8 months[7] |
| Freeze-dried cat or small dog | $1,000–$2,500[4] | 6–12 months[8] |
| Traditional taxidermy, cat or small dog | $800–$2,500[9] | 6–12 months[8] |
| Freeze-dried dog over 20 lb | $2,781 + $69/lb[10] | 7+ months[11] |
| Custom base, pose or positioning | $150–$800[12] | Added to the total |
If a number here surprises you, the primary material is Memorials.com and Astute Analytica via GlobeNewswire; we only apply it to this.
Free tool
Freeze-dry & taxidermy cost estimator
Estimate cost and waiting time for freeze-drying or taxidermy by size and pose.
What Pennsylvania rules mean for a preserved pet
One practical rule matters more than any statute: a pet who has had a post-mortem examination (a necropsy) usually can't be preserved whole, because of the incisions involved. If your vet, insurer or breeder asks for one, decide first which matters more to you, the answers or the body. Otherwise, domestic pets face few legal limits, and the notes below for Pennsylvania cover anything you don't keep.
- Burial at home: Confirm the rule for the actual parcel and proposed burial with the local authority and property owner.
- Scattering ashes: Ask the exact land manager about scattering before making arrangements; a general gathering permission is a separate matter.
- Who oversees it: the authority responsible for the specific activity and location; this guide does not identify a universal permit or licensing rule
- Worth knowing: Record the service method, release authority, identification and return instructions in writing.
A city's population does not establish which aftercare activities are allowed at an address. Check the actual site and activity before proceeding.
County and city offices set many of the local rules. To find yours, start with the official Pennsylvania local government directory.
A checklist for the first hours
- If your pet is at a clinic, have the staff note clearly on the file that your pet is being kept for preservation and is not to go for cremation.
- Ask them to freeze, not refrigerate, and to keep any clipping of the coat to the bare minimum.
- Bring your pet home frozen inside a cooler, or set up a pickup from the clinic by the practitioner or a courier.
- Keep your pet frozen solid for at least a day or two before any shipping, as most practitioners ask.
- Pack in a thick cooler with dry ice, add whatever labels your carrier asks for, and ship it overnight early in the week, Monday or Tuesday.
- Keep the tracking number and ask the practitioner to confirm your pet went straight into their freezer.
Other ways to keep your pet close
A glass dome or case is worth considering for any preserved pet. It keeps dust, insects and curious hands off delicate work, evens out humidity and makes the piece feel intentional rather than just placed on a chair. Ask your practitioner for the case dimensions they'd recommend, and budget for it alongside the preservation itself.
Compare every option on our services page, try the free planning tools or see how other readers answered in our polls. You can also go back to all locations.
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.
Where would a preserved pet live in your home?
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If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
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Questions people ask
How many families in Pennsylvania could face this decision?
By our estimate, the 36 communities we cover in Pennsylvania are home to about 1,180,000 households with a dog or cat. Only a small share ever consider preservation, which is why so few practitioners exist and why most families send their pet some distance to the right one.
Is there a pet taxidermist in Pennsylvania?
There may be a few, but pet specialists are rare, and many taxidermists in Pennsylvania mainly mount game. Choose by the quality of finished pets of your species, then plan how to get your pet there frozen. Tell us your species, weight and city, and we'll email back practitioners who take pets from your area.
How do I keep a preserved pet in good condition in Pennsylvania?
Keep it out of direct sun, away from damp rooms and heating vents, and check it now and then for moths or carpet beetles. Dust gently with a soft brush or a hair dryer on cool, and never wash it. In humid months, a dehumidifier or a sealed glass case helps protect freeze-dried work.
Which part of Pennsylvania is hardest on a pet awaiting preservation?
Heat is the biggest risk in the first hours. Among the Pennsylvania communities we cover, Philadelphia is the hottest, with summer highs around 88°F, where a pet needs to be in a freezer within a few hours. In colder places such as Johnstown, with winter lows near 16°F, winter storms and power cuts are the bigger worry.
Do colder parts of Pennsylvania make it easier to keep a pet frozen?
A little, in winter. In 100% of the Pennsylvania communities we cover, average lows stay below freezing for three months or more, and places such as Johnstown reach lows near 16°F. Cold helps a freezer through a short outage and slows thawing in transit, but it never replaces a real freezer: sun and daytime thaws still damage fur outdoors.
How long does pet preservation take for families in Pennsylvania?
Usually months. Freeze-drying takes three to six months for small pets and seven or more for large dogs[11], and both freeze-drying and taxidermy often run 6–12 months[8]. Add the practitioner's queue. Ask for a return date in writing and whether they'll send updates.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] The NFDA projected Pennsylvania's cremation rate at 61.3% for 2024. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage), 2024.
- [2] Embrace's Wellness Rewards add-on could reimburse up to $650 toward cremation, burial and keepsakes. Pet Insurance Review - Does Pet Insurance Cover Euthanasia? (Dec 2023), 2023.
- [3] CareCredit's 2025 cost study put the US national average for private dog cremation at $260 (range $206-$473). CareCredit (Synchrony) - How Much Does It Cost To Euthanize a Dog? (2025 ASQ360 procedural cost study), 2025.
- [4] Memorials.com puts freeze-drying at $1,000–$2,500 for a cat or small dog and $2,000–$5,000+ for a medium to large dog. Memorials.com – Pet Taxidermy Guide, 2025.
- [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.
- [6] One U.S. pet preservation studio charges USD 650 to freeze-dry a pet under 1 lb, with a 4–6 month turnaround. Animal Family Pet — Pet Preservation Pricing & Shipping, 2026.
- [7] An Ohio pet preservation studio charges $1,250 to freeze-dry a 1–2 lb pet and $2,095 for 2–6 lb, with 6–8 month turnaround. Animal Family Pet Preservation – Pricing, 2026.
- [8] Both traditional taxidermy and freeze-drying typically take 6–12 months, sometimes longer. Memorials.com – Pet Taxidermy Guide, 2025.
- [9] Memorials.com puts traditional taxidermy at $800–$2,500 for a cat or small dog and $1,500–$5,000+ for a medium to large dog. Memorials.com – Pet Taxidermy Guide, 2025.
- [10] An Ohio pet preservation studio prices freeze-drying for pets over 20 lb at $2,781 plus $69 per pound, and 6–19 lb pets at $2,095 plus $49 per pound. Animal Family Pet Preservation – Pricing, 2026.
- [11] 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.
- [12] Taxidermy and freeze-drying add-ons such as custom bases or positioning cost about $150–$800. Memorials.com – Pet Taxidermy Guide, 2025.
- [13] On a per-pound-above-threshold reading of its price list, one Ohio studio would charge about $4,851 to freeze-dry a 50 lb dog. Our estimate: $2,781 + $69 × (50 − 20) lb. How we calculate.
Tell us about your pet and what you'd like kept
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.