Till death do us bark: Pets serve as witnesses at Ecuador weddings
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Diana Tupiza and Andres Alquinga with the symbolic marriage certificate bearing their pet Luna’s “signature” after their wedding at the central civil registry office in Quito on July 7.
PHOTO: AFP
- Ecuador has introduced "pet friendly" weddings, allowing couples to include their pets as symbolic witnesses, with over 50 couples participating since May.
- Pets like dogs and cats hold sentimental value for couples, demonstrated by Luna, a Pekingese who stamped her paw on a marriage certificate.
- Officials say this change reflects modern family structures, as nearly 7.6 million Ecuadorians have pets, almost double the number of young children in the country.
AI generated
QUITO – When Diana Tupiza and Andres Alquinga decided to get married, they selected a rather unusual witness for the civil wedding ceremony: Luna, their Pekingese pup who stamped her paw print on the marriage certificate.
With recently authorised “pet-friendly” weddings, Ecuadoran officials are embracing the role of furry friends in modern families.
Elsewhere in Latin America, only human witnesses are allowed, although Argentina and Mexico have made a few exceptions.
While Luna’s paw print has no legal standing, the gesture holds sentimental value, and more than 50 Ecuadoran couples have elected to get married in front of their dogs and cats since May.
“That she (Luna) is here is really spectacular,” Tupiza told AFP after their ceremony in the capital Quito.
The 38-year-old engineer said it was her husband’s idea to bring Luna – who dressed for the occasion in a pink tulle gown.
Alquinga, a 31-year-old programmer, said animals “may not be able to speak to us, or give us advice, but they are there to give us all the love that they have”.
Current, modern needs
The move came as a shock to the bride’s mother, Luz Lima, who nevertheless took it upon herself to make Luna’s dress.
“It’s better to choose someone... who knows what they’re signing,” Lima recalled telling the couple.
But eventually, she came around to the idea.
“These are modern times,” she told AFP during the fitting for Luna’s dress.
Luna stamped her paw on the couple’s marriage licence, which also had their signatures and those of human witnesses.
PHOTO: AFP
Otton Rivadeneira, the director of Ecuador’s Civil Registry, said the policy is in line with contemporary family structures.
“We’re definitely adapting to these current, modern needs,” he told AFP.
Ecuador’s latest census found that among its 19 million people, nearly 7.6 million have dogs and cats as pets – almost double the number of children aged 12 and under.
After Alquinga and Tupiza’s ceremony, Luna stamped her paw on their marriage licence, which also had the signatures of the couple – and other human witnesses.
“Symbolic marriage certificate” reads the document, with a special space denoting “paw print of your furry friend”.
“I have three dogs and a cat,” Tupiza said.
“For me, it would have been great if they all could have been here, but she (Luna) I think represents both the (pets) who are here on earth as well as those in heaven.” AFP
