In dealing with the loss and anxieties over our pets’ health, we began a collection of animal remains to in an effort to preserve each animal’s existence and our memory. This two-day old puppy was given to us after she died from natural causes. Being the runt of the litter, she was born unhealthy and was not able to survive. Our desire was to show the preciousness, sadness, and helplessness in seeing a baby animal die. We wanted to give her a sense of identity (a female dog, hence the bow around her tail) and a safe, nested place where the sight of this poor creature induces empathy and awe. Process: Dry-mount taxidermy performed solely by the artists. Process entails removing and preserving the pelt of an animal and sewing it over a hand-sculpted foam and clay form.
