On Saturday, the bride wore white and the groom looked proud in his white bow tie as he watched his beloved walk down the aisle.
It was a special, beautiful wedding – of a dog couple.
The doggy wedding of Kaoru and Riley took place at the Spice Root restaurant and was followed by a community Pack Walk on Sunday morning for pup friends who didn’t attend the actual ceremony.
Kaoru, a Tamaskan, is an emotional therapy dog, while her new husband, Riley, is a havanese/shih tzu/Yorkshire terrier.
The two canines have long been best friends, according to the wedding planner.
The nuptials were a fundraiser for Canine Connection, a new Canine Valley program for human children aged seven to 16, which involves the kids working with dogs and learning life skills.
“It is an alternative form of education,” said Valley Calderoni, founder of Canine Valley, a not-for-profit dog rehabilitation centre.
“We empower kids to understand the value of life…. We teach them anything from search and rescue, which they train dogs to do, to how to use technology, to just the basics of what it means to be a responsible individual who can protect somebody’s life.”
The comprehensive program, with space for 13 students, includes a variety of other activities such as learning to cook, Calderoni added.
The funds raised will go toward the needs of the program and paying for the teachers, she said.
The idea for the wedding came about because it seemed like a fun way to make people happy while raising money, Calderoni, said with a laugh.
The Squamish Chief wishes the new couple a lifetime of long walks and fresh kibble.
For more on the Canine Connection program, or to donate, go to www.caninevalley.com/.
