Watch: Dogs take spotlight at Brazilian carnival parade honouring pets

Watch as dogs and their owners took to the streets of Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana for a Carnival festivity for canines on Sunday, 4 February.

Costumed dogs gathered for “bloco” street parties honouring pets during pre-Carnival festivities.

Official events begin on 9 February, but street parades will take place beforehand with a variety of themes.

Brazil’s Carnival returned to full capacity last year after two years of reduced affairs, with no block parties, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Block parties take place before the official events of the carnival, and are more casual than the parades in the Sambadrome.

They can sometimes start as early as January and run after the official carnival events have ended.

Block parties mostly feature samba music but other bands will play Marchinhas (polka-like music).