Till death do us bark! Pet pooch Luna serves as witness in her owners' wedding
Andres and Diana wanted their pet to be a key part of the big day
- Published
How would you feel about not only having your pet dog at a wedding ceremony but them playing a key role?
A couple in Ecuador, Andres Alquinga and Diana Tupiza, got their pooch Luna to be a witness to their marriage.
The role of a witness is to be present during the vows and sign the official marriage register alongside the couple and the officiant, which makes the marriage legal.
But while Luna did sign the marriage document with her paw print, it was just a symbolic gesture and not legally binding.
Luna used her left paw to give her approval
The wedding took place at the central civil registry office in the capital city Quito, after a new law was brought in to allow for "pet-friendly" marriages.
Ecuador is a country in South America and has taken a step ahead of the rest of Latin America, by allowing animals to be witnesses.
In Argentina and Mexico, while there have been pets taking part in weddings they were unusual cases where the authorities had given special permission.
In most countries the only witnesses allowed are humans.
Diana said the fact that Luna was there for the wedding was "really spectacular"
Pekingese pup Luna isn't the only pet to have witnessed a wedding either.
Since the new rule was bought in in May, more than 50 Ecuadoran couples have decided to get married in front of their dogs and cats.
It's likely many more will follow because nearly 7.6 million of Ecuador's 19 million population, have dogs and cats as pets.
In 2022, Ecuador's Constitutional Court declared that wild animals, and by extension domestic pets, have legal rights protected by a constitution called the Rights of Nature.
What do you think of having pets at a wedding? Let us know in the comments.