Bored Panda reached out to Petsies, and Frankie Burns, Chief Marketing Officer, kindly answered our questions on behalf of the company. First of all, Frankie shared how they decided to start making customized plushies.

“The idea to create plush lookalikes of pets first came to be after our founder started Budsies, a company that turns artwork and drawings into custom stuffed animals. Since we began taking orders in 2013, we had so many people reach out to us wanting a custom pet plush made, many of them wanting a keepsake to remember a past pet.

With so many requests for pet stuffed animals, we created Petsies, a brand that creates plush keepsakes to help those who either lost a pet or others who may just want an adorable, mini-me version of their fur baby. Seeing the emotional reactions that some customers have after seeing their pet lookalikes means the world to our team,” wrote Frankie.

We were curious about the process of creating plushies like these, so Frankie gladly walked us through it.

“The ordering process for Petsies is so simple. On our website, you are able to upload photos of your pet from every angle, as well as type out a written description that shares the most unique and important features of your pet. Do they have a heart-shaped spot on their back? Do they cross their paws when they lie down? Our team is able to match all of those details in the plush!

Customers also hand-select the eye and fur colors, and the positioning of the Petsie, and can pick upgrades to make the plush weighted or include a custom voice recorder (a way to hear your dog’s bark long after they’re gone).

Our team sends updates as the Petsie moves through each stage of the creation process. If we have any questions for a customer, we will email them to confirm specific details. It’s an extremely open and collaborative process, but our team does everything we can to create a one-of-a-kind keepsake for our customers.”

Besides plushies, Petsies also makes other products from the picture of your pet. We asked Frankie to tell us which product is their best-selling one.

“Our most popular product is still the Petsies Forever plushie. Customers love having a realistic representation of their pet that they can hold onto. Other popular products are our custom pet pillows, pet pajamas, and our felt ornaments and magnets!” shared Frankie.

Creating such personal plushies comes with heartwarming stories and testimonials from customers. We asked Frankie to share some reviews that highlight the impact of receiving a Petsies stuffed animal after losing a beloved pet.

“So many customer stories touch our hearts, and it means so much being able to create such a special product for them. Here is a testimonial from Paula, who got a plush made for her daughter Addison, after her dog passed away: “Jasper and Addison shared a special bond from the day we brought her home from the hospital until he took his last breath as she held his paw. They were truly the best of friends. There was no greater love between a girl and her dog. Addison has been truly heartbroken facing such a big loss at only 9 years old. We are so thankful that Petsies was able to create such a beautiful likeness of Jasper for her to hold as she heals.”

Watch a video of Addison unboxing her Jasper Petsie here.”

And lastly, Frankie added: “Our team is so honored to be able to help people across the world treasure the bonds they have with their animals. Whether someone just wants their pet’s face on everything or they are saying goodbye to a pet they’ve spent 10+ years with, we have a product to accommodate it. We make keepsakes of not only dogs and cats but all pets including guinea pigs, horses, even chickens! Visit MyPetsies.com to order your custom pet keepsakes today.”