Taunton Dogs Made Headlines in 1979 After Their Adorable Wedding

These days, newsworthy stories often depict the doom and gloom of the world, but this 1979 article from the Taunton Gazette is bound to make anyone smile. On August 22, 1979, two dogs made front page news after tying the knot, thanks to their preteen owners playing matchmaker. It’s wholesome content you never knew you needed.

Among the headlines for an upcoming election, funding fraud, and a kidnap suspect sat a cheeky article titled “Two Pups Tie the Knot. I ‘Woof’ You Truly.” Two dogs sat well-behaved in front of four children as one dog sported a veil and the other a scarf.

Twelve-year-old Dierdre Martin, nine-year-old Becky Hutchins, 10-year-old Matthew Hutchins, and eight-year-old Jeffrey Martin came up with a master plan to wed their respective dogs, and the reason alone is enough to make anyone laugh.

Kelly was a mongrel and Laddie was a greyhound-collie mix. They were next-door neighbors who loved spending time together.

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Deirdre said to the Gazette, “We think (Kelly) is gonna be having puppies soon and since they’re always hanging around together, we should just give em’ a wedding.” Truthfully, Martin had no idea if her dog was pregnant, but she knew Kelly was getting a little plump, so why not have a wedding regardless?

With Dierdre standing in as Justice of the Peace, Becky was the maid of honor and Matthew was the best man. Jeffrey was the usher for the local kids who came to watch the ceremony and he also acted as ring bearer. It must have been quite the sight to see these kids attempt to put a ring on a dog.

“She shook it off,” Deidre said.

Their “doggy honeymoon” consisted of a sleepover in the Martins' backyard.

Deirdre was pretty confident that they “wouldn’t get a divorce. We think they’re pretty happily married.”

When you mix a child’s pure heart with a little creativity, you get feel-good stories that stand the test of time.

Love is for everyone, and that includes dogs.