Carnival goes to the dogs

Most pre-Carnival street parties in Brazil are all about samba, but the moves on display at today's Blocao parade were focused more on wagging and strategic sniffing than on fancy footwork.

Hundreds of decked-out dogs - and a few brave cats - got in on the Carnival fun at Rio de Janeiro's annual pet-friendly parade.

Labradors in pink tutus or engineers' overalls cavorted with Maltese terriers with fairy wings, and poodles in superheroes' capes sniffed sausage dogs dressed up as Salome, with sequin-covered harem pants.