Boji (dog)

Last updated

Boji
Boji toplu tasima aracinda, Istanbul.jpg
Species Dog
SexMale
Years active2021
Known forUsing public transport in Istanbul
Owner Ömer Koç
Weight42 kg (93 lb)

Boji is a street dog in Istanbul, Turkey, known for regularly riding on the city's public transport. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] He is described as being an "Anatolian shepherd mix" [6] and having "golden-brown fur, dark eyes and floppy ears". [1] He makes use of buses, metro trains, trams, and ferries. [3] [6] He is one of several examples of animals taking public transportation.

City officials arranged for him to be vaccinated, [1] and be fitted with a microchip which enables them to track where he has been. [1] They found him to use up to 29 metro stations in a day, travelling up to 30 kilometres (20 miles). [1] [7] On one occasion he reached the Princes' Islands. [3]

His name is the Turkish word for bogie.

His adventures first came to public notice in mid 2021. [3] A spokesperson for Metro Istanbul said: [3]

We noticed a dog using our metros and trains and he knows where to go. He knows where to get out... It's like he has a purpose.

A Twitter account is operated in Boji's name, with tweets in Turkish and English, and with almost 60,000 followers as of 6 October 2021. [6] There is also an Instagram account. Many people post pictures of him, or selfies with him, [6] to their own social media channels. [3]

Boji was adopted by Ömer Koç in 2022. [8]

In March 2024, Boji was spotted out in public again, this time in London with Koç on a London bus.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Meet Boji the dog explorer!". CBBC Newsround. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  2. "Istanbul's commuter dog Boji wins hearts of fellow passengers". Daily Sabah . 6 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Meet Boji, a street dog, who is Istanbul commuters' best friend. Viral pics". India Today. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  4. Sparks, Hannah (7 October 2021). "Why Boji the commuting street dog is becoming a global superstar". New York Post. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  5. "Dog takes over public transport in Istanbul". CNN. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Ayoubi, Nur (6 October 2021). "Meet Boji, Istanbul's commuting street dog and newest influencer". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  7. "Stray dog tours Istanbul using public transportation". Hürriyet Daily News. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  8. İmamoğlu, Ekrem [@ekrem_imamoglu] (11 January 2022). "Boji'nin artık rahatlıkla dolaşabileceği, özgürce koşabileceği bir yuvası var" (Tweet) (in Turkish). Istanbul. Retrieved 12 January 2022 via Twitter.