Conchi and Roberto want to break the rules. The couple from Vitoria will get married on October 28 at the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Hall, and they want to celebrate this special day with a member of their family: their dog Mak.
Unfortunately, the municipal council has denied them this possibility. Faced with this injustice, the couple has turned to social networks to collect signatures; In less than a week, they already have more than 30,000.
"With the reform of the Civil Code, animals have a different legal status from that of things, which is why they are considered living beings endowed with sensitivity and are considered members of the family. Legislators recognize the existence of the emotional and affective bond between people and family animals. Therefore, by law, animals are already part of the family, and there is no reason," the couple notes on their Change.org page.
Conchi and Roberto are clear, they will not stop until their little Mak can attend his civil ceremony: “We are fighting for ourselves and also for other couples,” they both exclaim. Such is their affection for Mak, that they have even engraved the imprint of his pet on their wedding rings.
Far from being just another assistant, Mak would have an essential role in the wedding, since the couple wants their 10 kilo mestizo to carry the rings. Ten days before the set date, “we still don't know if he will be able to be with us on that special moment,” says Roberto.
The city council of the capital of Alava itself clarifies that this viral matter is being studied by legal services, since on September 29 a new municipal ordinance regulating the protection and possession of animals came into force. "We believe that we can solve it with a timely authorization accompanied by compliance with a series of conditions," says the excited couple.
