Moscow’s Wild Dogs Ride Subways To City Center In Search Of Food

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Moscow Dog Naps On Train 1

Each morning, like clockwork, they board the subway, off to begin their daily routine amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.

But these aren’t just any daily commuters. These are stray dogs who live in the outskirts of Moscow Russia and commute on the underground trains to and from the city centre in search of food scraps.

Then after a hard day scavenging and begging on the streets, they hop back on the train and return to the suburbs where they spend the night.

Experts studying the dogs, who usually choose the quietest carriages at the front and back of the train, say they even work together to make sure they get off at the right stop – after learning to judge the length of time they need to spend on the train.

Scientists believe this phenomenon began after the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, and Russia’s new capitalists moved industrial complexes from the city centre to the suburbs.

Dr Andrei Poiarkov, of the Moscow Ecology and Evolution Institute, said: “These complexes were used by homeless dogs as shelters, so the dogs had to move together with their houses. Because the best scavenging for food is in the city centre, the dogs had to learn how to travel on the subway – to get to the centre in the morning, then back home in the evening, just like people.”

Dr Poiarkov told how the dogs like to play during their daily commute. He said: “They jump on the train seconds before the doors shut, risking their tails getting jammed. They do it for fun. And sometimes they fall asleep and get off at the wrong stop.”

The dogs have also amazingly learned to use traffic lights to cross the road safely, said Dr Poiarkov. And they use cunning tactics to obtain tasty morsels of shawarma, a kebab-like snack popular in Moscow.

With children the dogs “play cute” by putting their heads on youngsters’ knees and staring pleadingly into their eyes to win sympathy – and scraps.

Dr Poiarkov added: “Dogs are surprisingly good psychologists.”

By Elaine Furst For Dog Files

Dog Naps On Moscow Train 2

Skye5697

Dogs.When u think about it why do we question their intelligence at all..they adapt to their enviroments to survive.If u dont bend you break.
Buglady

People shouldn’t take the dogs home. They might be homeless by choice. Just like how there are some people who are homeless because they want to be.
PharmD

Last year, California (home state of Head Anti-Vaccine Idiot Jenny McCarthy, who has no medical training to speak of) had the highest number of pediatric deaths due to whooping cough in 60 years. We invented vaccines, and indeed most medications, because people were dying due to illness. They represent a minor challenge on the immune system that in turn prevents massive numbers of death due to illness. To say we did not die in masses prior to vaccinations proves that you are unmistakably an idiot (at best). Perhaps look up rates of death due to polio, measles, or smallpox prior to our development of vaccines for these diseases, and stop supporting these fear-mongering amateur scientists who cause the needless risking of children’s lives due to these ignorant, and flat-out wrong, claims. It is irresponsible, and dangerous.
Patti

We did die in masses before vaccines.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Mystere-de-la-Nuit/100001512144536 Mystere de la Nuit

See, this kind of attentiveness and caring is why I need a dog. (Would help with my emotional issues right now, too.) They’re endlessly intelligent, especially the larger dogs, caring, and helpful. Sounds like these Russian strays have formed a great, supportive pack. And I’m sure the children are a main source of food. ^.^ Toddlers love to share treats.

This is really cool, and they do seem to be doing pretty well for themselves.

The thing about taking one of these dogs in would likely be removing them from their pack. It can cause the same emotional stress as being separated from your family. I’d bet you could get a few of them to stay with you at night and such if you fed them regularly. They’d probably join back up with the pack during the days, though. Sounds pretty fun for the dog to me.
http://bharatbuysell.com Anita khanna

Really nice
Respect4dogs

I think these dogs shouldn´t be bothered, they are doing their own thing… They are doing what dogs love: being outdoors walking, smelling, following a specific route to get food, avoiding dangers, in brief words, their are working. Their brains are processing information all day long, they do not get bored, they are active dogs.. I think that is much better for their physical and mental health than being stuck in an apartment bored to the bone alone waiting for their “owners” to get home and play with them for 10 minutes. I know there are good people that treat their dogs with respect and love, but the big mayority just see them as a piece of furniture or even worse, a disposable toy.. So these dogs would be happy in warm, loving homes, I know, but if they wanted so, they would follow the first person who treat them kind on the streets to get a home or at least food, remember, they are smart, but it seems they are used to do what they need to survive and they are comfortable with that. I think the only action people (government or other institutions) should take, is to do a spaying and a vaccination program, that is what every single dog in the entire world deserves, both stray and home dogs.. there is a dog overpopulation already, and there is no need to increase the number of abused dogs.
Dravadog

In soviet russia, dog rides subway
http://instantcarinsuranceonline.com Ins

I’ve seen stray dogs in Athens obey traffic lights before. Also, I’ve heard that the Moscow dogs have another tactic where they will wait for people to buy a shawarma then come up behind them and bark loudly so the person will drop it.
Dog

No, she is an WEIRD person that is pretending to speak for their dog on the Internet.

How can she even know that her dog has consented to this false representation. Falsely impersonating another person is a crime.

If her dog knew what she was doing it would be ashamed.
http://profiles.google.com/michaelfmccoy mike mccoy

have you ever heard of the plague?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_5HI4JIV2B5D57ONQJKQRYZ4ILA Squatch

I wonder what another Russian (Pavlov) would conclude after witnessing this pooch behavior? I am always astounded by our best friend’s ability to modify human behavior for either their pleasure, or survival. Pavlov’s subjects were most likely accommodating his bell ringing, with a full knowledge that his excitement at observing their salivation was a condition brought on by their actions, and were quite aware that food was forthcoming!
Katybblue

It’s time for people to be reminded that they aren’t the only living creatures trying to survive in this world. Good dogs!!
Anonymous

You’ve never heard of the black death, small pox, cholera, polio.,etc. People did die in masses. Smallpox killed millions in just one year. I can remember the polio epidemics of the early fifties. Around 3000 people died in 1952 in the United States. Vaccinations were available by 1955 and since 1979 there have been no deaths from polio in the United States. In fact, the only places where we find polio are where the people refuse the vaccinations because they believe them to be part of a Western plot. Vaccines work with polio because it is an infectious disease. Cancer is not. Their pathologies are completely different. It is unlikely that vaccines will have any significant effect on cancer. Leukemia is also not infectious. You cannot catch it from someone who has it. No one really knows how leukemia works or why people contract it. You call yourself “Informed” but you need to learn more what a vaccination actually is and what disease is infectious and what is not infectious.
Anonymous

You’ve never heard of the black death, small pox, cholera, polio.,etc. People did die in masses. Smallpox killed millions in just one year. I can remember the polio epidemics of the early fifties. Around 3000 people died in 1952 in the United States. Vaccinations were available by 1955 and since 1979 there have been no deaths from polio in the United States. In fact, the only places where we find polio are where the people refuse the vaccinations because they believe them to be part of a Western plot. Vaccines work with polio because it is an infectious disease. Cancer is not. Their pathologies are completely different. It is unlikely that vaccines will have any significant effect on cancer. Leukemia is also not infectious. You cannot catch it from someone who has it. No one really knows how leukemia works or why people contract it. You call yourself “Informed” but you need to learn more what a vaccination actually is and what disease is infectious and what is not infectious.
Anjier

maybe they could at least alter them so they dont mate and create massive populations of subway riding scroungers
Anjier

oh and they are WILD so let them ride the subways AND live in homes with our children. Ksdoghugger, feral animals can NOT be trained to live in a home peacefully, just like wolves, lions, bears…
Guido Laroma

i h ave a dog calle d emma. she hates thunder and fireworks.guido laroma
Shirlsmid

There is no proven vaccination program that provides lifelong immunity. Vaccines carry suspensions that include mercury derivatives (carcinogens), animal proteins and synthetic substances. These bond to healthy cells and initiate growths that are not part of a healthy human body. Children pass out, suffer brain swelling, fever, vomiting and seizures immediately following vaccination. The immune system is not ever prepared to adapt to bacteria or viruses that are directly injected into the bloodstream, gaining access to all organs and tissues in the body, in less than a minute.
European countries like France and Sweden, have banned several vaccine programs that are accepted in North America. Why? Because they have not been tested (only on albino rats) properly and because there is no scientific proof of immunity. Hundreds of doctors refuse to be vaccinated and their children also are not vaccinated–the risks of permanent damage, including onset juvenile diabetes, are too great. I personally know two children who were normal before their 2 year DPT vaccine. Today, they are both so brain-damaged they can barely function socially.

People really should look into the scientific research done, although unfortunately, governments usually deny funding to projects looking at the disastrous effects of vaccines.

People died in masses before vaccines, they also died in masses before microwave ovens and automobiles. So maybe its the automobiles that “cured” us? No, duh. It’s simple. It’s called HYGIENE. For example, WWI casualties due to blood poisoning had dropped by over 80% because people started WASHING wounds with alcohol, etc., and keeping the patient clean. Tetanus was introduced; and what do you know? Casualties climbed back up again. ??????
Cancooni

That’s not true. We have a dog that lived on the street. She moved in, behaved perfectly, never had accidents or has shown any sign of aggression to my wife or son.

You obviously have not worked with animals and do not know what you are talking about.
Floris56

Dog intelligence never ceases to amaze me. Cats are not dumb by anyh means, either. But the difference between the two animals is also hard to understand.
JollyDog

Just wanted to give you a heads up. These dogs are strays first and for most because people in Russia cannot provide homes for them. Secondly, there are way more than 100,000 of them, and many are feral at this point. I lived in St. Petersburg for 4 months, and they have the same problem there with stray dogs. I love dogs, but in all honesty, for the safety of the people, many have to be put down. The government doesn’t have the funding to take care of stray dogs much less the pensions of aging Russians.
JollyDog

Dogs in Russia wait for the cross walks like everyone else. No joke, I experienced it a ton of times.
JollyDog

These dogs are still dogs. It isn’t like they have lost the gene that makes them domestic, but they have become wild only by the situation they are put in. Reversing that is possible, but not worth Russia’s money.
Sheila S. Stickland

Oh yes they can, you must be one of the people that believes all Pit Bull dogs are dangerous! That is the same attitude people with prejudices against anyone who does not look, think, worship, or live their lives etc. according to your sense of how life should be lived justifies!
Sheila S. Stickland

You have the wrong name “JollyDog” it should be “IHATEDOGS”!
Sheila S. Stickland

When was a vaccine discovered for Cancer? Wow that’s great news, now not as many people will “Catch” cancer. I hope they discover a vaccine for my disease “Transverse Myelitis” very soon then no baby will get the disease soon after birth. People between the ages of birth to death will never have to know the pain or other sensory problems, weakness or paralysis of muscles, or bladder and bowel dysfunction that this disease causes. Oh, do you know how many children have Polio today?
Sheila S. Stickland

When was a vaccine discovered for Cancer? Wow that’s great news, now not as many people will “Catch” cancer. I hope they discover a vaccine for my disease “Transverse Myelitis” very soon then no baby will get the disease soon after birth. People between the ages of birth to death will never have to know the pain or other sensory problems, weakness or paralysis of muscles, or bladder and bowel dysfunction that this disease causes. Oh, do you know how many children have Polio today?
Sheila S. Stickland

When was a vaccine discovered for Cancer? Wow that’s great news, now not as many people will “Catch” cancer. I hope they discover a vaccine for my disease “Transverse Myelitis” very soon then no baby will get the disease soon after birth. People between the ages of birth to death will never have to know the pain or other sensory problems, weakness or paralysis of muscles, or bladder and bowel dysfunction that this disease causes. Oh, do you know how many children have Polio today?
Sheila S. Stickland

Fantastic response and very well expressed factual information!
Sheila S. Stickland

Fantastic response and very well expressed factual information!
Sheila S. Stickland

Fantastic response and very well expressed factual information!
Sheila S. Stickland

HYGIENE! Really, this is news to me, “Cancer” is caused by poor hygiene, does that mean it’s possible the parents of the children you know had poor hygiene for both themselves and their children? You better educate them and their friends and family.
Sheila S. Stickland

They do not hold grudges like humans, they let cruelty by others go, and love the person who is patient and loving with them. You are very correct “they do have memories”!
Sheila S. Stickland

First, how do you know the person doing the writing for Miss Molly is a “she”? Second, “Falsely impersonating a person is a crime”, I have never heard about a law that makes it illegal to write under an assumed name.
Sheila S. Stickland

Cat just don’t want to be babied, dogs love to be rubbed, and babied. This is what my vet said when I wanted to know why you could teach a dog to come when called and a cat looks at you like “I’ll get back to you later if I feel like having company”!
husakmusic

yeh but dogs are a little helpless, humans are just stupid. trapped into conformity the poor are those who were trapped by society’s black hole of money and debt/ the willingly down trodden who would rather seek help from others than find salvation themselves. personally id help the dogs before any human race. id rather get bitten than stabbed in the back.
Sam

You are the most annoying person on the Internet. Congratulations!
HpPea

did anybody else read ALL of the comments? I was quite impressed by the debate on whether stray dogs should be vaccinated by the government, not just their cuteness.

Mar 21, 2011Comments: 89

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