Dozens of dogs dressed as alligators, fairies and superheroes gathered at a Rio de Janeiro Carnival street party on Saturday as their owners protested cruelty against pets. The canines wagged their tails to samba music, ate breakfast from bowls and made new friends at the so-called Blocao, a traditional event during Brazil's biggest celebration.
About 300 people and their pets congregated in the neighbourhood of Barra da Tijuca, on Rio’s west side. They sang and danced to old-style Carnival songs while their pets kept their paws protected in the shade as temperatures hit 30°C (86°F).
“Dogs are a part of our families,” said Marco Antonio Marinho, 72, the Blocao's chief organiser. “When we are sad at home, they are by our side. Now that we are happy, they have to be happy too. So we take care of their paws, we keep water for them to be comfortable and safe.”
A hydration station helped maintain the dogs' energy through the two-hour street celebration. In previous years, the dogs paraded through the streets, but their gentle paws were often scorched by the hot pavement. The name Blocao blends “bloco”, meaning Carnival street party, and “cao”, Portuguese for dog. The event has run for over 20 years.
Marinho and other partygoers waved white ribbons and sang a tribute to Orelha, a dog killed in southern Brazil in January in a case that sparked national outrage. Santa Catarina state police charged a 15-year-old who allegedly spanked the dog to death; authorities have recommended the teenager be tried under the juvenile corrections system, with the judge yet to rule.
Natalia Reis, 28, attended Blocao for the first time with her 11-year-old dog Theo, partly because of Orelha's killing. She wiped tears from her eyes as organisers spoke about protecting pets from cruelty. “This was so unfortunate; we need perpetrators of his death to be punished,” Reis said. “We need to raise awareness. This could have happened to me, to any of us.”
