Just like every other day, Amir was waiting at the subway station when he noticed an unlikely passenger among the other commuters. The unlikely passenger was a dog. At first, he assumed that the dog belonged to someone, but he was wrong. The man knew that he couldn’t sit idly by anymore. He needed to find out where the dog went.
But as he followed the dog’s movements, he realized that there was something strange going on. The dog seemed to be on a mission, moving with purpose through the crowds of people, never once deviating from its path. Amir’s curiosity was piqued, and he knew that he needed to get to the bottom of this mystery.
But when he realized what the dog was up to, he knew that he couldn’t just let this pass by. Without hesitation, Amir pulled out his phone and dialed the authorities. They needed to do something about this quickly!
It was a typical Monday morning rush hour on the subway, and everyone was pushing and shoving to get to their destination on time. Amir had grown accustomed to the hustle and bustle in the subway station. As he waited for his train, he scanned the crowd of commuters rushing past him, lost in their own worlds.
Amidst the chaos, something caught his eye. He had to look again because was he really seeing this? Amidst the sea of people, there was a dog, sitting quietly on the platform. At first, he assumed that the dog must belong to someone, perhaps a passenger who was waiting for the next train. But as he observed the dog more closely, he realized that it was alone, without an owner in sight.
Amir didn’t expect to see something like this from the first day he took the subway. He would normally take his car but his car was at the garage so he had to take the subway for the next few days. Amir’s heart sank at the sight of the dog, alone and vulnerable in the midst of the chaotic station.
However, when he got into the carriage, the dog jumped in as well. No one paid much attention to the dog except for Amir. The large crowd was much more concerned with getting a seat. Everyone was pushing and rushing to get in and they didn’t even seem to care or see that there was a dog inside the vehicle. Amir wondered what was going on.
When everybody had secured their seats, Amir scanned the crowd for the dog. But it was busy in the subway and before he had a chance to find the dog, the train reached his station. He had to get to work.
Initially, he assumed that the dog was a wandering stray that had unintentionally boarded the carriage. That’s why he attempted to dismiss it from his thoughts. However, their story was far from over.
When he got home, he didn’t expect to ever see the dog again. However, to his surprise, he found the same dog waiting for the subway at the station again. And that was just the beginning, as he kept running into the dog over the next several days during his commute.
The dog would get on the subway at the same station as him and ride for a few stops before getting off at a station in the city center. Amir had always been curious about the little dog’s story, but he had never had the chance to get close to him. Was it a stray that got fed by the commuters or something more intriguing?
One day, Amir witnessed an unfortunate incident where some people forced the dog out of the subway carriage, leaving it stranded and confused on the station floor. Despite Amir’s attempts to intervene, the train had already departed, leaving the dog behind to run aimlessly among the commuters who paid no attention to its plight.
Amir could see from the window that the dog was behaving oddly, seeming disoriented and moving erratically among the crowd, but he was powerless to help as the train sped away. Amir couldn’t bear to watch the little dog suffer. This broke his heart.
Amir decided to help him, but locating it was his first priority. On the subsequent day, Amir carried dog treats with him as he departed for work. He lingered in the same subway station, and within a short while, the dog materialized. Its brown coat was unmistakable, although it seemed a bit grubbier than usual.
The dog was hesitant at first, but Amir’s kind demeanor and gentle approach won him over. Amir petted the dog and gave him the treat. He eagerly accepted the treats, wagging its tail in delight. Amir felt content but he had no intention of halting his efforts there.
Upon receiving a call that his car was repaired and ready to be retrieved from the shop, Amir made the decision to keep using the subway to get to work for the time being, so he could focus on helping the dog. He didn’t want to risk missing any new developments with the animal and thought that the car could wait, whereas the pooch might be in danger or need assistance.
Upon encountering the wandering dog, Amir reached out to the authorities who referred him to a nearby animal shelter. Initially, the shelter staff was just as confused as he was upon hearing the story. They contemplated capturing the dog and finding it an adoptive family, but soon realized that this would not unravel the mystery behind the dog’s daily ventures and purpose.
There could be someone waiting for the dog at home or the dog could be caring for puppies, and the staff could not be certain. Consequently, the shelter staff made the decision to affix a tracker to the dog to trace its movements. Although gaining the dog’s confidence proved challenging, they managed to accomplish it with Amir’s help.
Subsequently, they had no choice but to wait for the tracker to activate. When the staff finally observed the dog’s destination, they were dumbfounded. It was like nothing they had ever seen before. After only one day, they checked the tracker and were flabbergasted by what they found.
The dog’s daily journeys around town remained a mystery, and no one knew why it traveled so far. Each day, the same pattern repeated itself, with the dog embarking on a lengthy journey before returning to its starting point in the evening. Curious about its travels, a member of the animal shelter staff decided to track the dog on foot.
The man soon discovered that the dog’s name was Boji and that locals recognized it riding the Metro trains and even the ferry, taking pictures of the smart dog. Boji seemed to know all the public transport rules, waiting for passengers to disembark before entering the train when it was empty. When at Subway and Railway stations, Boji waited on the terrace in good weather and went inside in cold or rainy weather.
The staff was amazed by Boji’s intelligence and, upon closer examination of the tracker, discovered that Boji traveled to around 29 stops a day, covering a distance of 27 to 30 kilometers. Boji, a stray dog, is a unique mix of Cytus Kangal and Shepherd dog and was given his name from Turkish Railway terminology.
Although living on the streets, he had undergone health checkups and sterilization, suggesting that he had a previous family. Boji’s daily routine involved exploring different locations in search of food, and people were more than happy to give him treats. His popularity grew, and he became an internet sensation with his own Instagram and Twitter accounts, attracting thousands of followers.
When photographer Chris McGrath learned of Boji, he traveled to Istanbul to see the dog in person. Chris discovered that Boji’s travels were not limited to his daily routine, as he had even taken a weekend trip to Princess Island by ferry. Boji demonstrated his knowledge of which ferry to choose and even had a preferred side of the ferry on which to ride.
Chris also stumbled upon another peculiar behavior of Boji. According to municipal workers, Boji seemed to enjoy the different engines of the various vehicles he rode. When he was on the ferry, he would sit at the back where the engine was, presumably due to the vibration, as Chris explained. On the Metro, he would sit right underneath or on top of the wheels in the bogie area, which is how he got his name. In Turkish Railway terminology, the bogie area is referred to as “boji.”
How is it possible for a stray dog to survive on the streets of Istanbul by finding enough food? Living on the streets can be perilous for any animal, but what sets Istanbul apart? The city is renowned as the “City of Strays,” and there are countless stray dogs and cats wandering around.
However, being a stray dog in Istanbul is distinct from being one anywhere else in the world. The city has a program that safeguards the vast numbers of strays that roam the streets. The municipality provides food, and there are spay and neuter programs and emergency care services available for all stray animals.
Finding sufficient food is not a challenge for Boji. Food and water bowls are available for animals tucked away in the corners of restaurants or homes, so Boji knows where to go, according to Chris. The municipality is even considering posting flyers about Boji on the transit system to guide people on how to interact with him.
How do the residents of Istanbul respond to Boji? Chris recounted that when Boji entered a restaurant, two men chased him away and yelled at him. However, another restaurant owner shouted at the men and identified Boji, telling them not to scare him away.
Boji has now gained celebrity status, and not only community members but also the Municipal workers who cherish their beloved mascot. After Boji became so well-known, the Municipal workers began taking him for regular checkups at the vet and even conducted a behavioral study to ensure that his interactions with humans would not be a problem for him or the people he meets every day.
They took him to a training camp, gave him some TLC, grooming, and shots, and fixed his tracking collar. This took about a week, and once they were sure that Boji was healthy, they released him. However, they also created a small kennel for him at one of the Metro stations.
Ever since Boji’s train-hopping escapades became widely known, he has achieved worldwide fame, with over 79,000 followers on his Twitter and Instagram accounts. A large number of his fans are Istanbul commuters who have personally encountered him. “You board the train, and there’s Boji sitting there,” said Aylin Errol of Metro Istanbul. “You just smile and capture the moment.”
Additionally, the municipal staff provides food for Boji whenever he returns to his kennel, but he prefers not to stay in one place for too long and instead continues to move around. The staff keeps an eye on him from a distance, using a mobile tracker to ensure his safety.
