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.”
awwww babies
Love love love that this is a real thing.
ahhhh!! More pics & video on EnglishRussia. Also a fuller article from The Wall St Journal
And finally, via snopes.com & The Daily Mail, a cat who take the bus to the shops:
(via littleelk)
PLEASE SHARE AND TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO TAKE THEIR “FREE TO GOOD HOME PETS” OFF OF CRAIGSLIST IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE CALL THE MARION CO. SHERIFF’S OFFICE IF YOU HAVE ANY TIPS REGARDING THE SHOOTINGS.(via Salem Friends of Felines)
For those who use screen readers, here is the image text:
Warning! Animals are in danger on craigslist.com
Please take all “free pets” off of craigslist until this person(s) can be stopped!
Friday morning, an anonymous caller contacted a local veternary clinic and reported that they witnessed a small group of people (3-4?, both male and female) at a remote location in Scotts Mills (possibly near the Crooked Finger ATV area?) letting animals out of pet carriers (dogs and cats) and then using them as target practice with real guns!
Some animals were shot and killed. Two cats were able to get away.
The witness was too distraught to approach the shooters, however, the witness was close enough to overhear that the animals may have been acquired from several local craigslist ads being given away as “free to good homes”.
A police report has been filed and if you or anyone you know has any information regarding the person(s) involved in this gross animal abuse, please contact the Marion County sheriff’s office immediately.
Anonymous tip line: 503 540 8079
Non-emergency Dispatch Line: 503 588 5032
I just got this alert from the cat shelter I got my own cats from, and I really wanted to pass it on. If you or any of your followers live in/know people who live in Oregon, please warn them about this! Or, heck, it could be happening elsewhere if it’s happening here—please spread the word! This is really disgusting.
(Also, I tried to tag with relevant trigger warnings, but Tumblr Savior may not be working. I apologize if this post triggers any anxiety attacks.)
JESUS FUCK, SIGNAL FUCKING BOOST OH MY GOD
Signal boost. If I find these guys, there will be a reckoning.
Signal boost, and I apologize if this post triggers any anxiety attacks in anyone. But the word needs to get out.
Harvey used to be a fighting dog. His ears torn from battles he was forced into. He flinches when you talk too loud around him. He gets so excited when you prepare his food, as in disbelief that he’s actually going to eat this many days in a row and when you put the food down he kisses you in gratitude. He’s afraid of thunder, soda cans, the TV and when baby Nick Fury meows when he’s hungry. When we first picked up Harvey from the pound half of his face was missing and he was severely underweight.Now he’s a kitten baby sitter. FIGHT BSL IN YOUR COUNTY.
right in the feels
so cute.
(via thambos)
A Cheese Story.
TW: Actual bad shit happening thousands of times a day that you will refuse to acknowledge because facing it causes your life to be mildly uncomfortable.
In pictures. Because vegans are uppity and privileged.
Step 1: Mother gives birth to baby.
Step 2: Baby takes his first steps. Mother nervously stares at human observers. She knows what’s coming. She’s seen it before.
Step 3: Less than 15 minutes after birth, the still-wet baby is taken from his mother.
Step 4: Mother is hooked onto mechanical milk suckers, so her baby’s nutrients can be fed to humans (thus significantly increasing humanity’s cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes rates…but I digress…)
Step 5: Newborn baby is sent to live the rest of his short life on a veal farm.
(most of the photos above were taken by my hero Jo-Anne McArthur)
Dairy = Veal = Cruelty.
Break your cheese addiction. I know it’s tough (trust me, I KNOW it’s tough- at first), but I promise it goes away.
It’s worth it.
(via theveganarchist)
Meet Vixey.
She was rescued as a puppy from a fur farm. If she’d stayed there, like millions of other foxes, she would have been anally or vaginally electrocuted to become part of a fur coat for companies like INTERMIX.
Fur-bearing animals, like foxes, are no different from the dogs & cats we live with and love. If we don’t stop their slaughter, no one will.
On behalf of Vixey, please sign and share our INTERMIX fur-free petition.
While I don’t condone the keeping of wild animals [even if capture-bred and semidomestic] it’s better than the alternative.
ITT: Why you’re an asshole if you think wearing fur is cool. Even antique “vintage” furs were still done in this way.
also fyi: I don’t debate ridiculous “what-if” scenarios, oh what if it’s road kill what if my cousin hunts and every-part-of-the-animal what if the fall of industrial civilization?? What if you just erred on the side of not supporting the fur trade in spirit or in action?
(via thambos)
The Informed Vegan: West Hollywood Bans Fur Sales.
West Hollywood is officially the first city in the country to ban the sale of fur.
The West Hollywood City Council has voted unanimously to ban the sale of fur within city limits. Any store caught selling fur products after the ban is in place will be hit with a serious fine. The…
(Source: theinformedvegan, via paulyunstoppable-deactivated201)
