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.
 | |
| Species | Dog |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Years active | 2021 |
| Known for | Using public transport in Istanbul |
| Owner | Ömer Koç |
| Weight | 42 kg (93 lb) |
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 mi).[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 edit
- ^ a b c d e "Meet Boji the dog explorer!". CBBC Newsround. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
- ^ "Istanbul's commuter dog Boji wins hearts of fellow passengers". Daily Sabah. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f "Meet Boji, a street dog, who is Istanbul commuters' best friend. Viral pics". India Today. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
- ^ Sparks, Hannah (7 October 2021). "Why Boji the commuting street dog is becoming a global superstar". New York Post. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ "Dog takes over public transport in Istanbul". CNN. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d e 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.
- ^ "Stray dog tours Istanbul using public transportation". Hürriyet Daily News. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ 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.