Caramelo
A caramelo dog.
Origin	Brazil
Dog ( domestic dog)

The Caramelo dog (Portuguese: [ka.ɾaˈmɛ.lu]) is a mixed-breed dog in Brazil, known for its caramel-colored coat. It is also considered a national symbol of Brazil. ^[1]

In July 2020, Federal Deputy Fred Costa started an online petition to feature the caramelo dog on Brazil's 200- real banknotes. Although the Central Bank had already decided to feature the maned wolf on the notes, they later considered taking action against animal abuse. ^[2] In September 2020, the caramelo dog was featured in the announcement of the 200- real notes. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

The significance of the caramelo dogs reached the legislative branch at both municipal and federal levels. In January 2022, the Florianópolis City Council established Dezembro Caramelo ("Caramelo December") to raise awareness about the abandonment of dogs. ^{[6] [7] [8]} The city of São Gabriel in Rio Grande do Sul also launched the Dezembro Caramelo campaign, highlighting that caramelo mixed-breed dogs are the most frequent victims of animal abandonment in Brazil. ^[9] In April 2023, Federal Deputy Felipe Becari introduced a bill to recognize the caramelo dog as an intangible cultural heritage in the country. ^{[10] [11] [12]}