Don't Die - Freeze-Dry!

The 2007 World Taxidermy Championships are now sadly behind us. While the highlights number too many to mention, we would like to tip our TaxiderMe hats to Ms. Roxanne Civitts of McVeytown, PA, for her spectacular opposum entry - the deserving winner of the "Best Freeze-Dry Entry."

What's Freeze-Drying?: For those of you who are not familiar with the freeze-drying technique, it is a method of preservation that removes liquid from the frozen animal through the use of a freeze-dryer vacuum. While remaining frozen, the object is able to retain its shape. This process is frequently performed on pets, as you can preserve your lap dog, for instance, in the same position that he sat on your lap while he was alive.
This is one of our favorite preservation methods. Many clients have told us that people visit their homes and say, "I thought your cat died?" to which they answer, "He did, but now he's freeze-dried!" That's a great feeling.