Cold Comfort: Devoted Dog Mom Chooses Freeze-Drying Over Burial To Keep ‘Baby Present’

The grieving dog owner shared to TikTok about her experience freeze-drying the animal.

A grieving woman dealing with the loss of her furry best friend has opted to process the grief in an unusual way.

The dog owner has gone viral on TikTok for her dog, who will, physically, remain in her life. The woman revealed how she chose to “freeze-dry” her dog, lovingly named “Baby,” to deal with the loss. She spoke about the “taboo” decision as she reflected on the year of freeze-drying her four-legged companion and also displayed the deceased animal. Its On Site reposted the video.

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“It has been one year since Baby passed away, and I wanted to talk about his freeze-drying process… He passed away November 6 of 2024. I chose to get him freeze-dried. I feel it’s kind of taboo; not all people do that with their animals, so people are very uncomfortable with that. But that is something that I feel helped with my grief. It’s been able to help me move from his passing.”

She then described his large, inoperable tumor that ultimately led to the dog’s death. While the dog’s brain and tongue remained intact, she initially planned to use his other organs. The dog did have some replacements, however, such as his eyes.

The woman hoped to take out his heart and turn it into a necklace. However, the person overseeing the procedure urged her to reconsider as the diseased organ could become a biohazard.

She also dived into the realities of freeze-drying one’s dog. On TikTok, she noted the differences between another way to preserve a pet’s physical essence.

“It’s his entire body essentially. He’s still soft in some areas, so it’s a little different than taxidermy. This is his fur, his ears… his nose was not replaced. His paws aren’t soft anymore; they are frozen. But yeah, this is him. “

While virtual onlookers felt creeped out by the display, the woman has no plans to put her “Baby” in any corner.

“I’m not going to put him away for anybody; this is my dog,” she asserted to TikTok. “His skeleton is still intact.”