Family spark debate after turning their dead dog turned into a rug

A mourning family wanted to preserve the essence of their deceased dog by turning it into a rug - and it’s sparked heated debate online.

The Australian company Chimera Taxidermy was hired by the family to create the fluffy keepsake of their Golden Retriever.

Business owner Madeleine, 29, said that pet preservation is a new thing for most people.

Taking to her company’s Instagram, she shared a video of the dog accompanied by the following caption: “Beautiful old golden retriever preserved as a pelt for his family. Finally ready to head home.”

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People took to the comments section of the post to share their sentiments, with many praising this way of memorialising a pet.

One person wrote: "Super cute, never seen pets preserved as pelts before :)."

"I'm so glad more people are doing this now, "another added.

A third, who seemed to inquire about Madeleine's services, wrote: "Never thought of this.... might not be for everyone, but it's an interesting way keep that sensory connection alive far after the beloved pet is gone. Well done. I know size sometimes matters with taxidermy. Could you have done say a 20-pound dog? Cheers."

Someone else shared that they aren't against the idea but may have a hard time seeing their pet after death.

"Idk if I would be able to handle seeing this after my goldi dies. Beautiful but not for everyone," they wrote.

In conversation with Yahoo! News Australia, Madeleine explained that the concept of pelt preservation has only recently become popular.

She also explained that she commonly gets asked to do "full taxidermy mounts," although she gets some pelt requests.

Madeleine also revealed that she doesn't just get dog preservation requests.

"I've been asked to preserve pet cats, dogs, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, pretty much any pet you can think of," she told Yahoo! News Australia.

Madeleine reportedly started taxidermy when she was 18, but she has been working on pets solely for nearly three years.

And despite finding it difficult at times to work with pets, she finds it "rewarding" to help those grieving their pets.

According to Chimera Taxedermy's website, other services they offer include life-size taxidermy of the animals, pelt preservation, and even paw and heart preservation.

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