Cat Kukla and Bear have been inseparable since she first saw him at a shelter when she was just a child. Now 17 years old, Bear has accomplished so much, but there was one last thing Kukla always dreamed of: having Bear by her side at her wedding.
“Growing up, I was not very ‘girly’ and hadn’t ever dreamt of a wedding like most little girls did, but I had dreamed of Bear being a part of my wedding, in a little red wagon, since I could remember,” Kukla shared with The Dodo.
In 2011, Kukla met Jimmy, and he quickly fell in love with Bear, too. Every weekend, Jimmy would visit her in college, bringing Bear along to be a part of their time together. Bear became an integral part of their lives, and the couple hoped that he would be with them for many more years to come.
Bear’s Health Takes a Turn
In 2018, Bear began facing some health challenges, and just a week before the wedding, his condition worsened. Kukla feared that Bear wouldn’t be able to attend her wedding as she had always envisioned, so she and Jimmy decided on something meaningful.
“I asked Jimmy if he thought we should get married at the vet to ensure Bear would be there with us,” Kukla recalled. “His response was, ‘I’d marry you any day, any time.’”
Bear was being treated at VCA Veterinary Emergency Service & Veterinary Specialty Center, and when the staff heard the couple’s plan, they were thrilled. Everyone came together to help prepare the space, eager to make sure Bear could witness his parents’ big day.
A Special Wedding at the Vet
On the day of the wedding, Bear was groggy but still determined to be present.
“We ended up finding a picture on the wall that looked a lot like Bear and figured that was the best spot for the ceremony,” Kukla explained. “Bear was brought in and placed on his wagon, and he sat there as alertly as he could during our short ceremony. Following the ceremony, Bear actually got up and walked around outside, which he hadn’t done in days, and he walked a lot!”
Bear found the strength to be there for his parents, and after the ceremony, he miraculously started to recover. Though the couple later held their formal wedding a week later, the special ceremony at the vet with Bear will always hold a unique place in their hearts.
A Love That Knows No Bounds
Sadly, Bear’s health has once again taken a turn for the worse, but his parents are doing everything they can to help him recover. Their love for Bear knows no limits, and if needed, they would happily hold their wedding at the vet once more.
“Thinking about the year and a half of stress and wedding planning, it was so wonderful to know that nothing else mattered except for Jimmy and I getting married to Bear,” Kukla said.