Return shipping costs are covered in the commission costs at this time, initial shipping is not covered. We are happy to walk you through shipping and assist you in getting a better rate on a shipping label rather than paying the retail rates in store. The ideal way to ship a pet to us is within a styrofoam cooler with lots of ice packs using UPS overnight, larger animals can be shipped with UPS 2 day as long as colder temperatures allow. Styrofoam coolers can be found on Amazon or Ebay, but you can also find used ones on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace. The ideal time to ship is on a Monday or Tuesday to avoid any possible delays over the weekend if your shipment were to be delayed for any reason. We will only ship with overnight shipping in the summer due to the temperature. When your pet is ready to ship, simply inform us of the dimensions and weight of the package as well as your address and we will get a label made right away. If you are unable to find a cooler, let us know! We keep a supply of coolers on hand to lend to owners to use for the cost of shipping it to you. Please note, we strongly encourage you to follow these shipping instructions and message us if you have any questions! Expedited shipping can be expensive, but it ensures that your pet will arrive safe and sound and not get stuck in transit. If these instructions are disregarded and your pet ends up unsuitable for preservation you will be charged a fee reflecting the extra time and care to accommodate and/or dispose of a spoiled specimen. Specimens that are rotten will not be reshipped back to you.

In general, simple commissions can be completed within 2-3 months. Larger projects such as skeletal articulation can take 3-4 months for smaller animals and up to 8-12 months for dogs and cats. Life size mounts usually take 4-6 months for all animals. We take the time to work on each animal individually to make sure they are well taken care of throughout the entire process. Our goal is to send them back home as soon as possible! We also work hard to keep you updated throughout the entire process.

It is important to get your pet in the freezer as soon as possible after they have passed. The longer you wait to freeze them, the higher the chance of slippage or other damage to your pet. For smaller animals like rodents, you can wrap them in paper towels or cloth within a ziploc baggie to prevent freezer burn. Rodents will deteriorate very quickly, so it is important that you find them soon after they have passed and freeze them immediately. Even the heat from your hands as you hold them can damage the integrity of the skin. If you are planning on having your rodent or reptile preserved, make sure to monitor them closely as they begin to show the signs of aging so that you can freeze them right after they pass. Remember to keep your pet frozen until the moment you are packing them up to ship them that day. If you are working with us to get a label made, you can place your pet within the cooler with icepacks to get a rough weight, and then place them back in the freezer until you are ready to ship.

Sometimes things happen that are out of control that affect the integrity of the animal, and what was originally planned is no longer feasible. An example could be if a pet is not frozen right away or held up in transit and the skin became unsuitable for a mount, we will have to discuss other options that can best utilize preserving what is salvageable. Sometimes older and ill pets are more fragile and their skin and bones don't hold up to the preservation process. It is helpful to have a backup plan in mind in case this happens. Skin will be the first thing to deteriorate on an animal, if the skin is no longer useable an option that can be opted for instead could be fur trimmings, skeletal cleaning, and paw mummification (if salvageable).

Clay paw prints are included at no charge with every commission. Ink paw or nose prints are also an option for an additional charge and will also come in a decorative frame. Fur trimmings in a decorative jar and microchip saving can also be offered on eligible pets.