Celebrating the marriage of two dogs in India: how far are we allowed to take the anthropomorphization of our pets?

It took a huge amount of money and a lot of research to get an Indian man's dogs married. And the case is not unique. Could this be a new trend?

There is a shocking craze sweeping India, namely dog marriages. But why would someone decide to marry their pets? What’s more, the ceremony does cost a pretty penny.

A huge celebration

Recently, two dogs were married in Aligarh, India, in a traditional ceremony with music and dance. Yes, you are reading it right, it’s not a typo: it’s about two dogs whose owners decided to join them in holy matrimony. The seven-month-old female, Jelly, has now officially become the bride of the male, Tommy. Tommy is reportedly the pet of former Sukhravali village headman Dinesh Chaudhary, while Jelly belongs to Dr Ramprakash Singh of Tikri Raipur in Atrauli.

It was not cheap

The wedding ceremony was just like a ceremony between people. The guests danced, ate, had fun, the newlyweds were crowned, and then a parade was organized to celebrate the marriage. They also took care of the local four-legged relatives, who were given a meal to mark the occasion. All this was very costly, with the owners reportedly spending 40-45,000 rupees, or roughly the equivalent of 200,000 forints, for the wedding. Watch the video below for a glimpse into  the unusual ceremony:

#WATCH | A male dog, Tommy and a female dog, Jaily were married off to each other in UP's Aligarh yesterday; attendees danced to the beats of dhol pic.twitter.com/9NXFkzrgpY

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 15, 2023

New fashion is born?

According to news articles, this is not the first dog marriage in India. In November 2022 two four-legged love birds were also married in Gurugram. On that occasion, a couple married their dog to their neighbour’s dog. According to the owners, 100 invitation cards were sent out for the marriage, which was celebrated with great fervour and in accordance with Hindu tradition. The marriage ceremony was then accompanied by traditional music and dancing.

This raises the question had a new fashion wave started with dog marriages, or if it was just a passing fad to marry dogs, which has  apparently helped create short burst of publicity? If this is the case, it is certainly worth considering how the animals involved experience such situations.

What is the role of dogs in our lives?

In this case, we need to think again about a question that has been discussed many times. What is the role of dogs in the life of humans today? There are many answers to this question, as our beloved four-legged friends stand by us in many situations, as loving and devoted companions. That is why they deserve to be given everything. But what do we mean by everything? As responsible pet owners, we should strive to make our dogs’ lives a happy, balanced and healthy one with us. To do this, their needs and wants must be met. In this respect, it doesn’t matter whether someone is a member of the family or they are a pet. The important thing is to create the ideal living conditions for your dog. However, marriage is certainly not on a dog’s list of needs.

So, what is it all about? Is it really the desire for fame and attention that motivates owners who want to use their pets to get into the limelight? Or do they really believe that what pleases people is what makes dogs happy too? Like the pool party where the dogs “arrived” in costume – to their obvious delight… But we could mention the various designer outfits and accessories to style the modern dog (who is not in a position to comment on this, so they must wear whatever they are given.)

To make sure your pet is a truly happy dog, don’t follow the fashion industry or the fads of social media to find what they need! Feed your dog well, take your dog for regular walks, play, go on adventures and learn together. Pet them and praise them a lot and, of course, don’t forget to check their health regularly. In a nutshell, these are the things every dog needs.