Linearization of proper group actions

We prove that if G is a locally compact group acting properly (in the sense of R. Palais) on a space X that is metrizable by a G-invariant metric, then X can be embedded equivariantly into a normed linear G-space E endowed with a linear isometric G-action which is proper on the complement E?{0}. If, in addition, G is a Lie group then E?{0} is a G-equivariant absolute extensor. One can make this equivariant embedding even closed, but in this case the non-proper part of the linearizing G-space E may be an entire subspace instead of {0}.