Animal lovers of all kinds have a new way to celebrate and immortalize their best friends thanks to the latest in 3D-printing technology and easy online ordering.

The graphic artists at PetPrints 3D (PetPrints3D.com) create custom, full-colour 3D-printed replicas of your dog, cat, iguana, or even horse.

Ashley Saunders is the brand manager for PetPrints 3D, launched in 2014 in Toronto’s west end. She and her team get to work at the exciting place, where pets, art and tech collide.

“It all started in our shop with a few of our personal pets and gifts for friends,” she says. We realized right away that we had something special going on because we started hearing from pet people all over the place.”

The process works like this: on the PetPrints 3D website, you submit photos and a description of your favourite animal, whether hound, hare, or horse, either living or passed away. Graphic artists use special software, created in-house, to work up the best possible model of your animal. The design file is sent to the 3D printer, where a gypsum-like material is laid down, layer by layer, to slowly form a unique sculpture. When that’s done, finishers work to perfect the detail on the final model, which is shipped to you.

Pricing is based on size and complexity. Single-pet models (for example, a sitting dog about four inches tall) begin at $250 + tax.

This is not like going into a store to buy a figurine. This is a reproduction of your pet – her unique markings, her way of sitting, her floppy ear.

“Everyone tells us how well we captured the personality of their pets and how happy they are to have a lasting keepsake,” says Saunders. “If you don’t laugh or cry or call your friends over, we haven’t done our job.”

To learn more and order, visit PetPrints3D.com or check them out on Facebook or on Twitter @PetPrints3D.