Why is is OK to stuff "game" trophy animals, but not a pet after it died?
This is a sequel to this question I just posted.
I think stuffing any animal that was once alive is in very poor taste, period, but stuffing a pet takes it to a different level in my heart and in my head…but I can’t quite put my finger on “why.”
Is is simply because we knew the animal personally, or the person who had it done knew the animal personally? Why would that make it any different than stuffing an animal that someone didn’t know “personally”?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
15 Answers
I don’t like either. Gander Mountain freaks me out. I can’t even walk in there. I hate going into someone’s home to see a deer sticking out of the wall. Gives me the willies, really bad.
Yeah I don’t care for game stuffing either. Pets is a whole other level of creepy though.
“Here is the corpse of that dog I loved.” Brrr…
It’s the love that makes it weird(er). Frame a photo, people! Watch home movies. People don’t stuff deceased family members because it is creepy and wrong. Pets are held in the same regard – don’t stuff them just because they can’t communicate their extreme lack of desire to sit on your mantle for all eternity with lifeless glass eyes jammed in their sockets!!
I also find bronzed baby hands and feet unnerving.
I won’t stuff my grandma or my dog for the same reason: Once they’ve moved on it’s time for me to let go of their physicallity.
I don’t understand the need for “trophy” deer heads or for the dog on Scrubs
There might be money in Fluffy being stuffy…I just saw a game show where Roy Rogers horse Trigger was “Taxidermied” and was valued at over $350,000.00.
Well… @Cruiser wow. Money sucks, doesn’t it. I mean that seriously.
@Dutchess_III Even though he had more than all of us combined I think Roy might even agree with you!
Hmm. I’m a fan of most taxidermy animals myself. My old neighbor had his pet alligator (5 foot) stuffed on his mantle and would keep keys, wallet etc in it’s mouth. Very morbid – somewhat amusing. I am not so big on hunting so I’d almost prefer it to be a pet that died naturally. I know I’m a weirdo though.
I mount all the pets I’ve shot.
@Cruiser Fluffy is most certainly not going to getting stuffy!
but I am willing my skull to a friend of mine to be used as a cereal bowl out of which he is only allowed to eat Count Chocula.
I think it bugs people for similar reasons that the uncanny valley bugs people. It’s nearly lifelike, and we feel compelled to make a sort of connection with it but it’s imperfection repulses us as it’s unreal. It’s probably even more creepier when it’s something that was living and did have a connection than a really lifelike robot.
My girlfriend’s family has a gigantic mule deer head mounted above their entertainment center and it doesn’t really bug me at all, but it’d probably bug me if they decided to mount their cat. Probably because I would see one thing as a decoration, and the other as a corpse.
Uh oh. This question is bringing out the weirdos!
@sinscriven One as a decoration, the other as a corpse. Exactly. Even though they ARE the same thing.
That was interesting about the uncanny valley. thanks for posting it.
Answer this question 
Composing members:
0
