This proud dog owner wasn’t content with his pooch just being man’s best friend, so he made him his best man.
When Christopher McCarron, 69, married Margaret Allison, 56, his Rottweiler Jack had a starring role.
The couple, both divorcees, met at the rescue centre where Chris adopted Jack, age six, after his son, Chris Jnr, died three years ago, aged 43.
Chris, a grandad of five from Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, said: “We had a lovely day, and Jack played a big part.
“He loved it. Little did I know that I’d meet my future wife at the [dog] rescue centre. When we decided to get married, Jack had to be there.”
Well-behaved Jack sat quietly through the short ceremony, wearing a mini tuxedo attached to his collar, while Chris held his lead.
Care home worker Margaret, a gran of four, said: “When Chris said ‘I do’, Jack sneezed, as if to say ‘I do’, too.”
In the wake of his son’s death, Chris sold his business and got a divorce.
He hoped that getting a dog might help him recover from his grief, and was immediately won over by Jack, who had been at the Dog’s Trust centre in West Calder for nine months.
And in a sweet twist of fate, Chris met his new love, Margaret, while out walking Jack at the rescue centre - and promised to keep her updated on his pet’s progress.
Romance blossomed and the newlyweds now consider Jack, aged around six years old, to be a part of their family.
Chris said: “I don’t believe that I rescued Jack - I think he rescued me.
Margaret, a care home worker, had been initially looking to rescue a small dog at the rehoming centre but did not find anything suitable.
But when she met Chris they bonded over their shared love of dogs - and have seen Jack’s character transformed since he has lived in a loving home.
Chris has three children as well as his late son, Chris Jnr, and five grandchildren.
Margaret has three children and four grandchildren.
