This is the moment a maid of honour carries the bride’s dying dog up the aisle at her wedding
The pet Lab, called Charlie Bear, had been by bride Kelly's side since 2002, but was on his last legs at his owner's wedding 14 years later
THIS is the touching moment a maid of honour carried the bride's dying pet down the aisle because it was too sick to walk.
Bridesmaid Katie Lloyd went above and beyond when she carried the beloved black Labrador down the aisle at her sister Kelly O'Connell's wedding.
The pet Lab, called Charlie Bear, had been by bride Kelly's side since 2002, but was on his last legs at his owner's wedding 14 years later.
James Garvin, the groom, and his new wife both work as vets, and wanted to share the biggest day of their lives with all five of the rescue dogs they own.
And Kelly, from Denver, couldn't bear the thought of leaving behind Charlie, who was suffering from a brain tumour, so the pet was given a special place at the wedding.
But when it became clear that Charlie wasn't capable of walking, maid of honour Katie stepped in and picked up the couple's beloved dog.
She wrote on Facebook after the ceremony: "People were telling me to just leave him because he obviously was like 'Aunt Katie, I can't.'
"That's when I yelled 'I'm not leaving him!' and picked him up and bolted. He is so big from all his steroid treatments."
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Katie added that the dog had originally been adopted by her sister after she found him abandoned in a shopping trolley.
Photos of the incredible moment were shared all over the internet, as animal lovers praised the touching scenes at the ceremony.
Bride Kelly told that her sister's touching gesture had made it obvious that her pet didn't have long left to live.
She said: "Both of us just dropped to our knees and started crying. To see him be carried a few feet, it kind of solidified for me that it's not the Charlie he liked to be.
";He was ageing, and it hit me knowing that he lost a lot.
"He was a very sweet dog. He loved everybody, but I was definitely his person."
Family friend and photographer Jen Dziuvenis captured the special moment, saying that she found it hard to take shots through her tears.
And the moment she photographed will be cherished forever by the newlyweds, as Charlie died a week later, on 9 September.
Katie said: "Charlie is headed over the rainbow bridge ... It was such a blessing to have him at the wedding.
"Jen you saved these memories for Kelly forever. Thank you all for the kind words. They really mean so much."