Brazilian Dog Names

In Rio de Janeiro, as in many places in the world, there are a number of homeless dogs. In the middle of the forest, however, is an encampment where multiple homeless people live, along with the dogs that they have rescued. Their camp is behind a wall, so it is not seen from the street; though when driving on the road, one can often observe a group of dogs playing or napping near the wall. The dogs are well fed and cared for, despite the fact that they are clearly living on the street. The number and composition of the group often changes as well. Upon further investigation, one learns that there are people living behind that wall and that it is these people that are caring for the pups. These people and their dogs are the subject of Karollyne, the second part of a film by Heloisa Passos.

In 2009, Karollyne, a black trans woman, started to live behind the wall in a structure that was abandoned and decaying. She invited a friend, a woman who was also homeless, to live there with her. Since moving there, both women have met men that they consider their husbands; their husbands now live there as well. Three friends have also joined the two couples, who are now like family. Over time, they began caring for animals found on the street, usually abandoned in the forest. Together the group now cares for 19 dogs and 4 cats. Upon seeing the animals suffering, whether from hunger, trauma, sickness or all three, they would bring them to their encampment to join their family.

Karollyne is not deterred by the fact that she is homeless herself and struggling get what she herself needs to survive. She believes that she has the ability to help the animals and she is willing to sacrifice what is necessary to give them good lives. A visitor who wrote about her quarters confirms that the animals are all clean and well-fed; the dogs have plenty of space to explore, run and play and the dogs are calm and well-behaved, even when someone they don’t know visits. There are plates of food with enough for each pup and buckets of clean water. Karollyne expresses that she gets her happiness from taking care of animals that are suffering and feels it is her purpose.