Cat owner spends £4,000 having beloved pet stuffed after it died - and says it was worth every penny

A woman left distraught after her pet cat died has spent £4,000 having the animal stuffed so she can keep him forever.

Harriet Peace, 28, was left heartbroken when her pet cat Tango died after being hit by a car in September 2021.

Rather than having the pet buried or cremated she decided to have him stuffed so it looks like he is curled up in his basket.

The process, which was carried out by a special business in London, took seven months and cost nursing assistant Peace £4,000, but she said it was worth the price tag for the pet she said was "like her child".

The 28-year-old, from Mauchline, Ayrshire, said: "When Tango died, I was devastated - I couldn't bring myself to have him cremated.

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"When someone mentioned taxidermy it sounded like the perfect way for him to be with me forever.

"He was like my child, it was a huge loss to me.

"He had been through so much with me and I thought I'd have him for at least ten years - he was my wee sidekick."

"I was really nervous when I dropped him off because I was worried he would look different and I would have made the wrong decision.

"But when I picked him up it was all worth it. He looks so realistic. He's exactly how he was and I'm so happy I have him here to remember him.

"It is the best decision I ever could have made."

Peace said her ex-partner, who she formerly shared Tango with, was horrified by the idea of having him stuffed but she hadn't let it deter her.

She had put Tango in the freezer after his death and later travelled from Scotland to specialists Get Stuffed in London, where they started the process to preserve him using taxidermy.

She chose to have Tango preserved in a sleeping position with his eyes closed, so specialists wouldn't need to put fake ones in.

She finally picked up her cherished pet in April and said despite being nervous, she was convinced she had done the right thing.

"You hear a lot of bad things, and it costs a lot of money, so I was worried," she added.

"But as soon as I walked in and saw him sat with all the other cats I just knew he was absolutely perfect.

"Tango is exactly how he was. It's not for everyone but honestly, I couldn't thank the man who did it enough.

"After losing my best friend it's the best gift anyone could give me. It's the best decision I ever made."