Yet Another State Will Now Allow Dogs As Wedding Witnesses

Another state has made it legal for dogs to act as official wedding witnesses, and we bet there will be an uptick in dog involvement in weddings.

On July 11, 2024, New York City Explore by Hotel (@newyorkcity.explore) shared a law update allowing pets to be involved in weddings they couldn't before. Take a look!

On Instagram, the account run by Hotel shared an update along with a really cute photo of a dog giving his paw print on a legal document.

Related: Bride's Special Wedding Dance with Her Dog Has People in Tears

"New Yorkers love including their dogs in weddings , and the state allows pets to serve as secondary witnesses by signing with a paw print," the update shares.

Although dogs cannot "officially officiate ceremonies," there have been growing trends of dogs participating in weddings in other ways, such as "ring bearer or flower dog."

This is a great update for anyone who lives in the state and was hoping their dog could be involved in the wedding. But it's great for anyone planning an out-of-state wedding, too.

"This is great news for tourists bringing their furry friends to New York weddings, as the state has clear rules about pet involvement," New York City Explore writes.

"With New Yorkers' deep affection for dogs, couples can rest assured their canine companions will be welcomed and included in their big day celebrations."

In the comments, people had a lot of positive things to say about this new wedding update.

One wrote, "Pawsome news!! We love it!"

Another shared, "This may be the best thing we've read all day."

Someone else added, "Now, man's best friend can be the best man."

One shared, "The universe has finally shown me why I haven’t been married yet."

Other States Allow Dogs to Act as Wedding Witnesses

According to Courtly , there are currently 23 states where you could have your dog (or any pet) act as a legal witness. Most of these are because there is a lack of mandate overall, but some have passed specific laws for pets.

"In Colorado, for instance, it is legally permissible for your pet to act as a witness and leave a paw print on your wedding license," the site explains. "Colorado is among the 23 states in the U.S. that don't mandate human witnesses for weddings. This means your pet can be the sole witness, or you can have a combination of canine and human witnesses."

Courtly outlines the 23 states where a dog (or cat, bird, pig, etc.) can act as your wedding witness, which includes California, Hawaii, Florida, Maryland, Ohio, Texas, and Vermont, to name a few.

While New York officially allows your dog to act as your witness for your wedding, they're not one of the few states that allow pets to officiate weddings. But those states do exist.

This includes Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C., per Courtly.