Meet Corporal Oliveira and Caramello, rescue dogs that became mascots and influencers

Rescue dog Caramello sitting on a fire truck at the Catete Fire Brigade in Rio de Janeiro. He has been residing at the fire brigade ever since he was rescued nearly a year ago. — Photos: AP

In Rio de Janeiro, two rescue dogs have turned local mascots and budding online influencers after joining their rescuers’ ranks, wooing their growing audience, one bark at a time.

Corporal Oliveira, a dog with short brown hair thought to be around four years old, turned up one morning in 2019 at a police station on Rio’s Governador Island, injured and weak.