Mormon family stars in new Animal Planet TV series on pet taxidermists

ROMANCE, Ark. — It all started with an email that appeared to be a hoax.

"We received an email from someone who wanted to create a TV show about a small, family-owned, taxidermy business and would we be interested," said Daniel Ross, the owner of Xtreme Taxidermy. "My wife told me about it and we thought it was a joke. We didn't take it seriously at all. But I told her to reply, 'Sure, why not?'"

Three years later, the Ross family is going on TV.

Daniel Ross, his wife, LaDawn, and three young sons, along with three employees, make up the cast of Animal Planet's new series, "American Stuffers," which chronicles the ups and downs of a rural, backyard taxidermy business that specializes in pet preservation. The series premieres Thursday, Jan. 5, at 8 p.m. MST.

At least two things set the Ross family business apart. First, the pet preservation aspect of Daniel's business is unique and clients come from far and wide with their beloved, dead pets, including raccoons, snakes, iguanas, dogs, tarantulas, scorpions, even a screech owl owned by former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Second, the Rosses are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Daniel was raised in an LDS family, and his brothers served missions. As high school sweethearts, Daniel introduced LaDawn to Mormon missionaries who taught and baptized her. Daniel and LaDawn have been married for 16 years and have created a loving, supportive home environment for their three sons. There is a part in the second episode when the family reads the Book of Mormon together, followed by a game at the kitchen table.

Both elements appealed to show executives.

"It was something new to us," said Mick Kaczorowski, Animal Planet executive producer. "The whole series is about love. Daniel transforms these pets for people who don't want to depart with them and they shed tears of joy … And the whole family is involved. There is something unique and loving in everything they do. It's sort of 'I Love Lucy' meets 'Extreme Home Makeover.'"

Daniel Ross, an outdoor enthusiast, started in taxidermy about nine years ago when he decided he could save money by doing his own mounts. Business began to boom about five years ago when he started doing pet preservation.

"I wanted to learn how to do it myself to make a little money and maybe do some for my friends," he said. "But once we opened the shop, me and a buddy of mine, it was just crazy how many people brought deer in that first year. It became a flood of work. Now with the pet preservation, it's added a whole new growth to the business. This pet preservation is going to be huge."