Andres Alquiega and Diana Tupiza leave their pet’s paw print as a symbolic witness to their marriage
Quito: When Diana Tupiza and Andres Alcuenga decided to get married, they chose a somewhat unusual witness for the civil wedding: Luna, their Pekingese puppy who had her footprint stamped on the marriage certificate.And with recently approved “pet-friendly” weddings, Ecuadorian 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 some exceptions.While Luna’s imprint has no legal status, the gesture holds sentimental value, and more than 50 Ecuadorian couples have chosen to get married in front of their pets since May.
“Having her (Luna) here is really amazing,” Tupiza said after their concert in the capital, Quito. The 38-year-old engineer said that it was her husband’s idea to bring Luna, who wore a pink tulle dress for the occasion.Alcuenga, a programmer, said the animals “may not be able to talk to us or give us advice, but they are there to give us all the love they have.”
“Adapt to current needs”
The move came as a shock to the bride’s mother, Luz Lima, who nevertheless took on the task of making Luna’s dress.
“It’s always better to choose someone…who knows what they’re signing for,” Lima recalls telling the couple. But eventually, I came up with the idea. “This is the modern era,” she said while fitting Luna’s dress.Otton Rivadeneira, director of Ecuador’s civil registry, said this policy is in line with contemporary family structures. “We are definitely adapting to these current and modern needs,” he said.
Ecuador’s most recent census found that among its population of 19 million, nearly 7.6 million have dogs and cats as pets — nearly twice the number of children aged 12 or younger.After Alcuenga and Tupiza’s ceremony, Luna stamped their marriage license, which also bore the couple’s signature, with her paw.“A symbolic marriage certificate,” the document reads, with a special space noting “your furry friend’s paw print.” “I have three dogs and a cat,” Tubiza said. “It would have been nice if they were all here, but Luna represents the (pets) on earth as well as those in the sky.”(AFP)
