A blushing bride and groom left wedding guests howling with joy after choosing their pet pooch to paw a marriage certificate as a witness.
The Basset hound, named Dali, was one of the first pets to test drive an innovative new scheme at civil ceremonies across Ecuador.
Julio Andrés and Tamara Gavilanes tied the knot in Santo Domingo with Dali playing a special role in the proceedings.
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The adorable moment when Dali placed his paw on the paperwork quickly went viral, amassing hundreds of thousands of views online and sparking an outpouring of comments.
Ecuador’s Civil Registry officially rolled out ‘Pet Friendly’ weddings on 13 May.
The service allows pets to attend civil ceremonies as companions and act as symbolic witnesses by adding their paw print to a commemorative certificate alongside the couple’s signatures.
This does not affect the legal validity of the marriage and only adds a personalised touch for couples who view their animals as family members.
Civil Registry director general Ottón Rivadeneira described the initiative as part of a broader government drive to modernise public services and reflect contemporary family dynamics.
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Rivadeneira stated: “The decision to implement pet-friendly weddings demonstrates our institutional transformation as we adapt to the new scenarios of today’s society.”
In the first four months of 2026, the Civil Registry recorded 15,771 marriages, showing continued demand for their services, as reported by Whats The Jam.
Couples can arrange pet-inclusive ceremonies via the agency’s virtual platform or local offices.
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National statistics support the policy shift, revealing that over 2.6 million households across Ecuador own a dog, while 133,000 citizens live with five or more canines.
Dali is reported to be the first dog to serve in this way in Santo Domingo, but the practice is now available across the country.
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