A social-media clip of a dog signing its owners' marriage certificate has stunned audiences online.
The heartwarming viral video was posted on June 22 by @ElisseMills_ and has received more than 4.1 million views. It captures the moment when the pup stamped his owners' marriage license with a proud paw print, with the help of his paw-rent, the groom. "To further prove that Colorado weddings are superior, here's your reminder that your dog can sign your marriage license," a caption across the video reads.
"[Public Service Announcement] to have your dog sign your marriage license please and thank you," the video's creator Elisse Mills wrote under the post. The TikTok user shared in her account bio that she's a professional wedding planner who has organized her own wedding ceremony.
Colorado has a self-solemnizing marriage law. This means that couples can officiate their own weddings without the official signature of a cooperating witness.
The Colorado law also allows for dogs to 'sign' marriage licenses with their paw prints, without the paper's legality being tarnished in any way, shape or form. While it's not a common occurrence in the mountain state, dogs do appear in wedding ceremonies and can take on the role of officiating witnesses.
In 2021, 7.4 percent of every 1,000 inhabitants in the state of Colorado were married, which, according to Statista, is a slight increase on the previous year's rate of 6.7 percent. This was likely due to the pandemic.
What Do the Comments Say?
The TikTok post has been liked by almost 375,000 users and commented on nearly 750 times. Dozens of users have shared their disbelief at the unusual ritual in the comments section below the post. One asked: "Is this real?!"
"The dog was like I guess if this is what you want," another joked. "What a joke," wrote a third.
Another TikTok user commented: "Telling my husband we need to get divorced so we can get remarried and do this."
"how do they pass the cognitive capa-" ... listen lady that doggo knows. he's as serious as a heart attack look at himb," posted one viewer.
Another wrote: "Eloped in Colorado and had our corgi stamped his paw on our marriage certificate."
Newsweek reached out to @ElisseMills_ for comment via TikTok.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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