does rabbit taxidermy/ fur offend you?

[Samus]

 

i am a taxidermy enthusiast i have items like squirrels that have been used for meat and i saved the skin so it wouldnt waste (animal bones from roadkill or just found lying in the woods), i never really thought about other animals untill i was strokeing my bunny and if it would be werid when the time comes to get a soft mount of him, i would never hurt him, id never want a scarf out of him, or anyone else rabbit, but tell me whats ‘ok’ and whats ‘wrong’

like obviously, i think fur farms are wrong-
 

but i find soft mounts good for mourners, to still have their pet with them in a soft form

im just curious, im not trying to start an uproar or anything.

 

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m VERY against fur. I’m not going to get excited because this board is not about that sort of thing but those animals live in tiny, filthy cages and are killed in horrifying, painful manners, sometimes they are not even dead when it is being done. If you want a reason to be anti-fur go to PETA’s website and watch the video “Life on a Chinese Fur Farm”. When I see someone wear a furcoat I comment very loudly about how 30 innocent animals were tortured to make it. If you buy the fur, you are paying the butcher.

[Samus]

i have some big beef with peta with their lieing scandles,  but yes yes yes, this isnt about peta, or really fur farms. but if someone has a meat rabbit and scraped the fur or someone lost their bun instead of it being cremated had it mounted is more my topic, man i went to school with lost his ferret, he was so broken over it he needed a peice of them to cope, so he kept a foot , it just sits in his dresser draw with a picture of the lost ferret, when his last died he had it done in a soft mount, meaning the hide is soft tanned (so it bends just as if it was alive) then its stuffed with some wires to make it seem like the animals just resting or sleeping, this ‘ferret’ is sleeping on his shelf and he can wake up, see this ferret and move on with his day. like being you own buns would it like, disgust you if someone had that done to their buns? 

[LittlePuffyTail]

Personally I find taxidermy disturbing but to each their own. I find it a bit macabre but if that offered the person comfort and their pet died of natural causes, there is really no harm in it, although in a way I find it a bit disrespectful to the animal, but that’s my personal opinion. I keep the cremated ashes of my deceased pets and some people might think that’s weird. There was a topic about this a while back and people had varied opinions. Of course, I’m anti-taxidermy if the animal was killed specifically for that.

[Samus]

yeah im pretty much anti slaughter and that jazz, thanks for your opinion

[Beka27]

Welcome to BB Samus.

Since you are new, you may not have become familiar with the site guidelines yet, so I have copy/pasted an excerpt for you:
F. Debates: Let’s keep this board light! Light discussions and differing opinions about rabbit welfare is fine, but please refrain from getting into serious debates about animal rights in general (eg. like anti-vivisection aka: for science/medicine, rabbits as food, and about controversial highly charged subjects and groups).

Please read the Forum Rules in their entirety when you get a chance… https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/10084/Default.aspx

This is one of those topics that can very quickly get people riled up. So let’s all keep it civil and to the topic at hand.

I understand your post. You are not talking about raising rabbits for fur or meat, you are just referring to taxidermy as a way to memorialize your rabbit upon his passing. Similarly to how some might want to cremate and display an urn, or bury and display a small headstone in the garden.

I, for one, would be way too “creeped out” to have my rabbits stuffed, but I really don’t like the display of hunting “trophies”. It’s just not my thing.

[Samus]

oh no i am familiar with the rules, and i mentioned i dont want this to be a hard discussion, but where else am i going to ask these questions? taxidermy.net is one sided, this is one of the few down to earth sites that have real intune bun loves, unlike other animal sites where they dont even have a rainbow bridge section because its too ‘evil’ so its light, im not justifying anything, im not slaughtering animals, its just a ‘i think slaughterhouses are wrong, but if someone did this i would find it a nice act’ or ‘im completely anti fur, when your pet dies burry it’

[Sarita]

Someone else had mentioned doing this and questioned whether they really wanted to do it. Personally, I don’t like this kind of stuff and I don’t think it would replace the rabbit. I like the idea of a photo. Just seems like it would be a strange reminder of my beloved rabbit…seems more like a trophy than a memory.

[Samus]

thats a really intresting point! thank you! 

[Bren]

I can see several sides to things. I am a hunter (deer) and also a BIG animal lover! My father in law traps which I am sooo against. Everyone has their own oppinion and honestly, I feel, for each person, they are ALL right. ok, maybe I shouldnt say all, but the point is that everyone feels right about how they feel.  it is what is in your own heart. I have a family member that had her house rabbit stuffed after he died and she deals with his death in that way. she has never gotten another rabbit and that is how she wants it. I agree with others, it seems kinda creepy to me, but it isn’t about me, it is about her and what she feels better as a person doing. We tease her alot about it and I even got as a gag gift a stuffed animal rabbit on a mount. It really isn’t as bad as it sounds, it is a family joke.  We all could have oppinions either way that are very passionate and understandable. It comes down to circumstances. that is all. 

[Samus]

exactly, i mean people often stuff their dogs and wild animals they shoot, why not a loved one? ive been noticeing more though that bunny people are even crazier than dog people, i work in the grooming industry, it goes cats, g.pigs, dogs, rabbits, they like rip your throat out as soon as you mention a bath, so im a fast talker to get all of it out “we do a wet bath with very waterd down shampoos none of the chemicl baths your petstore supplys -deep breath- we power dry them gently any sign of distress we stop-” i digress, but i was curious to see how bun owners are compared to dog owners in the stuffing kind of way. thank you for your input! now that i know your sister has done it, i dont feel like a monster for considering that when my poof goes

[peppypoo]

If somebody wants to taxidermy their deceased pet, go for it…but I don’t feel like it’s right for me. In my mind, it feels more “right” to let my dear departed bun rest with a whole body, if that makes sense. They take such good care of themselves while they are alive…I will not violate their work in death and instead let nature take over.

[longhairmike]

i eventually ended a 15 year friendship with someone i had known since high school, when when they started being a total [edit] telling me how they loved the taste of rabbit everytime i would mention my bunnies.

Peta are a bunch of fartnockers,, yes we know they love animals, but they dont actually do anything, they just spend millions on ‘awareness’ and stupid commericals with overpaid celebrity endorsements. I’d rather throw my donations towards a legitimate cause like aspca.

whew,, i’m glad im not the only j-rocker here.

 

 MOD EDIT:  Language.  Some of our members are minors, please keep it clean.

 

[Samus]

ohhh sweet yes that im not the only jrocker here too!

and tha im not the only person who thinks peta is just -deep breath-  dont want to get over worked on here, im pretty much anti peta, they were at a despairs ray concert showing me a video ‘this is what they do in japan! to dogs and rabbits’ , i watch the video “japan doesnt ebelive in wasteing, so they arent just skinning the animal, they are useing it whole, now if you take a moment to look at this video and ignore your choppy editing and music overlay , the men are speaking english and over there you can see the texas flag, dont try and sell me, im anti YOU”  whew anyway

 

my stepdad does that, threatens when i bring the rabbit out of my room that hes gonna cook it, like jeeze im 19 back up will you? so what if i love my rabbit more than my cat haha

[Andi]

There was another thread I believe on something similar, that process that I guess sorta dries the dead animal out and poses it?
I can’t remember how it worked exactaly, but it did sorta ‘ick’ me out.
I’m not for or against really, do what you need to to be ‘healthy happy’, i don’t need the physical remains of someone I love, I have the memories.

[LizzieKnittyBun]

I think I’m with Andi on this. I wouldn’t do it personally, because I think it would have the opposite effect… I believe it would actually exacerbate my grief rather than relieve it. But I’m not “against” this practice. If that’s what someone needs to help them get over a beloved pet, then why not?

[Sarita]

I would look at it too as another thing to dust and clutter up my home and if you move, it’s another thing to pack up. Might be hard to pack…

[longhairmike]

with today’s technology, you can store their entire lifetime on video that fits in the palm of your hand.

Much more satisfying than a stuffed pet sitting on a mantle. taxidermy is obsolete.

[RabbitPam]

Hi, Samus,
I think you presented your question well. Knowing the members here, I believe the majority of them would not find taxidermy of their beloved pet appealing. But that said, you have already stated you have an interest in it, so for you it may make perfect sense and be comforting when the time comes with your own bunny. It’s not weird so much as a personal choice that speaks to your heart but maybe not someone else’s.

I think if you limit it to doing what’s right for you, and not insist that someone else agree with you, or even understand you, but respect your decision and you their preferences, then it’s a long way to getting along with each other in a “live and let live” sort of way. I wouldn’t kill to be a taxidermist, but if you like it, by all means do that for your beloved pets when they leave you.

Personally, I didn’t even want to cremate Spockie. I cherish my videos and photos. It works for me.

[angie-la]

oooh, this is an interesting topic.

I personally couldn’t bring myself to have my buns taxidermied? whatever the word is haha. but I can definitely see how it could help someone who is familiar with the practice cope with the loss of their little furball. Obviously if it’s done in a way as a trophy, like how some hunters have their animals stuffed and mounted like, “LOOK WHAT I GOT!” I just find it rude and arrogant.

peta is ridiculous, but I do agree there is absolutely no reasonable excuse to wear animal fur. aside from the horrid treatment they get, I just don’t see why people pay so much money to wear fur? it looks tacky. the way I see it, it’s like if huge gorillas came up to us and just ripped our skin off to wear as couture lol. rude.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I just couldn’t bear looking into my beloved friend’s dead eyes. I would never stop grieving. Just seeing them briefly after they have passed is painful enough.

[FluffyBunny]

If it brings a grieving pet owner comfort, more power to them. I wouldn’t judge someone for it. Lots of people keep the ashes of their dead pets around, so I don’t see why this has to be so different.

Personally, I think it would just make me grieve more to have an alive-looking version of my dead bunny around. However, if I had time to prepare, I think I’d definitely consider getting a paw or a patch of fur preserved. That way, I’d have a “real” part of my bunny around without having to have ashes or a whole body.

[LBJ10]

What about making some yarn? Depending on your bunny’s hair type, you could save their fur when you brush them, turn it into yarn, and make it into something. People do this with dog and cat hair all the time. That way, when their pet is gone, they will have a little piece of them.

[peppypoo]

What about making some yarn? Depending on your bunny’s hair type, you could save their fur when you brush them, turn it into yarn, and make it into something. People do this with dog and cat hair all the time. That way, when their pet is gone, they will have a little piece of them.

When Tammo was still alive, my mom started randomly collecting a jar of fur that came off when we groomed him. When he died unexpectedly, we found ourselves with a touching memento of his time with us…now, our little jar sits in front of his pictures on the mantle in his memory.  I actually very recently started a little jar for Peppy too…not necessarily getting ahead of myself to memorialize her (I dearly hope that won’t happen for another several years!) but just because I think it’d be neat to make some bunny yarn. 

[LoveChaCha]

LBJ10, I keep the fur I pluck off of my bunny. I plan to make a small wool bunny out of it one of these days. A needle felting sort of thing.

I honestly think I may cremate my rabbit when her time comes. I am not so sure, it depends on where I am in my life and my income. If I live in an apartment, I don’t want to dig a hole up in the complex o_O; If I am in a house, then I will bury her. She means a lot to me, as she helped me pull out of the depression of losing my mother, so I am happy with the thought of her being with me – cremated or buried.

[LizzieKnittyBun]

When our family dog was diagnosed with cancer, it was a horrible experience for all of us, because we loved her so much for over 12 years. She was a wonderful dog. During her last days, we snipped off a lock of her hair and tied a knot around it to keep it together. I have it in a little box in our home. I also have her collar.

Mementos like this can be incredibly comforting.

[jerseygirl]

oooh, this is an interesting topic.

I agree, it demonstrates a lot about how differently people can grieve and find closure.

Recently I saw in a Home Interior photo spread that the home owner seemed to have a deceased dog draped over the couch. Sorry, I don’t know the proper term for it. A hide? Anyway, I found it not very nice looking and I couldn’t really see that was anything like the living pet would have been. To be honest, it looked like road kill.

I know it’s not for me. Sure, I’d miss petting them but having a soft mount of my pet would not help me. Besides, it wouldn’t tooth purr or melt into a bunny puddle.   I would see it and only be reminded of their death and I want to be reminded of their life. It’s so many things they do, their personalities, that makes them alive for me. Memories of that will remind me but their body would not.  They’d be plenty of live animals craving some petting anyway. I’d much rather do that.

 I do have a little shedded fur collected. I have this mainly so if one rabbit passes, this fur might help the remaining rabbit. But it’s also for me. I’ve thought of doing as Brittany has also, needle felting the fur.  I suppose people could think collecting loose fur is weird but I don’t. It wouldn’t bother me if people think it was.  It comes down to individuals choices. So to answer your question:

 would it like, disgust you if someone had that done to their buns? 

 No, it wouldn’t. If a friend had any pet that died preserved through taxidermy I wouldn’t have an issue with it. I wouldn’t necessarily want to see it myself after but I’d understand that’s something they wanted to do.  It’s really a personal decision.  If they chose to make an item from a hide…er, then I think i’d find that disturbing. I don’t know…that might be the norm and a respectful thing to do in some cultures. 

When the time comes I will be putting my pets in the earth . Rabbits in a natural environment live underground and I just think it fitting to put them there when they pass. I also would like to grow something at the site as a reminder that life continues.

[jerseygirl]

By the way, can I ask anyone considering putting up pictures on this topic, that they make it a link to the image? i.e. Not put a picture directly in the post. I think it is something that can be off putting to many people and it would be better that they are given the option to open a link.

[LittlePuffyTail]

There are companies that will make jewelry out of your deceased horses’ mane and tail. It’s like woven jewelry or they can make a glass charm with the hoof trimmings. Not really my style but there are less options with horses. You really can’t cremate a horse and I think it would cost a fortune to get them stuffed. Western movie cowboy Roy Rogers had his horse Trigger stuffed. It was recently sold at auction. No thanks.

 

[longhairmike]

how the heck is that horse still standing up? Id hate to be vacuuming around it and bump into it and have it fall on me.

[Deleted User]

Once an animal dies, its coat loses its appeal to me, it just does not feel the same. So I am not interested in this.

[Sarita]

LPT what you are talking about is called Hair Jewelry – I’ve seen this on Antique Roadshow and it’s very interesting stuff

Here’s an article that talks about this:

http://www.hairwork.com/remember.htm

I wouldn’t do the fur or hair thing myself but I find it fascinating. 

[anneNjoerule]

If having the stuffed form of your loved one near is comforting, than go right ahead. It personally wouldn’t help me cope. I like the idea of everything going back to the earth when they die, to give way to new life. Also, to me, the physical figure of my fur babies isn’t important. When something dies, their spirit and life force is gone. They leave behind the crude body but to me, that isn’t “them” exactly so it would give me little comfort to keep it.

[LoveChaCha]

I wouldn’t mind a scarf of my beloved.

I was watching DOGS 101 last week and this lady was so overwhelmed with the loss of her dog, she used his fur to make a memorial – by knitting a pair of gloves and she put his picture in a shadow box. Shadow boxes are neat things to have for memories, photos..

The lady has a new dog now that has long hair, and since she has to groom him so frequently, she made a company out of spinning his fur and making items for people.

[bunnytowne]

I heard of one of my old boyfriends having his dog stuffed.    I don’t know I personally wouldn’t want a dead creature hanging out  like that.  Like the fur would start falling off or something lol

OH I used to tease my ex that when he passed I would have a taxerdermist stuff him and set him up standing in the living room   lol    Would never do that tho.

I wonder if you could do that with a person tho.     On Taboo I think it was  a guy who had his whole body tattooed when he died he put in his will to  skin him and put his skin on display as an artwork    

oooooooooooooooooooook    lol

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I’m in the taxidermy is weird category-but no offense to anyone who thinks differently. I appreciated beyond belief cremation, but maybe strangely I won’t do that immediately (We used to bury people alive unknowningly so I won’t cremate within three days of death…you know just because I’m weird to be sure)…I think everyone finds peace differently. There is a vet tech at my office who does a paw imprint in clay and paints it to match the pet. I was po’d she’d want to do that with my pet and yet I understand that would be a great momento for someone. For me it’s cremation and that’s what I want done with my body when I’m gone…but I think it’s a personal choice, people deal with things differently and it’s a personal choice. I don’t think it gets more personal then that actually.

[Lintini]

When Shawnee our 36 year old horse passed away we just kept a piece of his mane. Phew that was a tough time.

I agree with most here, if keeping your loved pet around like that helps you, then by all means.

I’m a very sensitive person and couldn’t handle doing something like that. I think it’s an interesting topic though either way and would want the pet owner to do what made them feel more at peace with losing their loved pet. At our cabin there is an elk head that someone gave to my grandfather…and the stupid thing’s head is tilted at my bed so when I open my eyes it’s staring at me……. I now sleep on the other side of the room….. LOL. I changed to sleeping at the other side of the room maybe 15 years ago too hahaha.

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