A Filipino toy maker has been inundated with requests from grieving pet owners to memorialize their dead dogs and cats with hugs.
David Tan and his team of 20 employees at the Pampanga teddy bear factory in Angeles City are making fluffy replicas of people’s past pets from photographs sent to them by customers, Reuters reports.
This is not taxidermy, which preserves the dead body of an animal. The same fabric is used for teddy bears, but the synthetic fur is spray dyed to mimic the color and unique markings of each pet.
“It takes away the ‘eik’ factor, we don’t use pet skin. It’s actually 100%, really a hug.”
He told Reuters he was inspired to create the concept when his beloved golden retriever passed away in 2019.
“Since I was making stuffed toys at the time, I asked my fashion designer, ‘Hey, in memory of my favorite pet, can you try to make a realistic clone of her?
Each toy costs 3,500 pesos (£51.38) and the company says it sometimes brings in hundreds of dollars a month.
Client Jaja Lazarte told Reuters the award in memory of her late Shih Tzu was worth it.
“Despite the fact that his ashes are here and his memories are here, it is much better to see someone who actually looks like him,” Ms. Lazarte said.
Source: I News
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