It’s not a common sight to see a street dog hopping on city ferries, trams, and subway cars. However, in 2021, many became acquainted with a dog named Boji, who autonomously traversed Istanbul using public transport. “He knows where to go. He knows where to get out,” Avlin Erol, the head of customer relations at Metro Istanbul, told CNN.
Boji’s story will melt your hearts
Boji would cover approximately 30 kilometers daily, navigating various metro stations and taking about two ferries until he eventually found a home.
Chris McGrath, a Getty Images photographer who spent a day trailing Boji around the city, remarked, “He is such a free spirit and all he wants to do is travel. Every time a bus, a van, or any other form of transport passes by him, he just wants to get on it.”
McGrath added that Boji eventually gained celebrity status because wherever he went, people recognized him. Recalling an incident, McGrath shared, “Boji went into one restaurant and two men shooed him away and yelled at him. Soon someone else told the men, ‘It’s Boji! It’s Boji! Don’t shoo him away!'”
haziran 2021 Boji henüz meşhur olmamış, tasma filan takılmamışken. kadiköy’de inerdi kerata ❤#boji #SokakHayvanlarıSahipsizDeğil pic.twitter.com/QJ8XE6TTRM
— Mas Arzu (@AslMause) March 29, 2024
Even the municipal workers were protective of him, especially when they took him for grooming sessions and medical checkups. They also conducted a behavioral study to know how Boji was doing with all the human interactions around him. They even created a little kennel for him at one of the stations, and they feed him whenever he comes back there. However, Boji loves to roam around.
Lastly, the municipal workers kept a mobile app to keep track of Boji’s movements. McGrath was in awe when he saw how the dog knew where the doors of the trains were. “He’ll stand on the side of the platform, and as soon as he hears the vibration of the train coming, he goes to the very end of the platform and then basically chases the train back and waits by the door,” shared the photographer. However, Boji can sometimes be quite pushy and doesn’t always allow people to get off while he is getting in.
Boji Finally found a home
A Turkish billionaire has adopted Boji, Istanbul’s beloved stray dog that rose to fame after being spotted by locals for touring the metropolis on public transport.pic.twitter.com/wb8UQwwfCm
— Family Moments (@Family_viralvid) April 1, 2024
Boji’s keen sense of direction extended to knowing which ferries went where, as McGrath observed him choosing between routes to Eminonu and Besiktas. When Boji boarded the wrong ferry to Eminonu, he quickly rectified his mistake by slipping under the turnstiles to catch the one heading to Besiktas. “I don’t know how he knows, but he seems to like riding the Besiktas ferry,” McGrath remarked.
Finding sustenance in Istanbul was easy for Boji due to the abundance of stray animals. McGrath noted that food and water bowls were often placed in restaurant or house corners for animals like Boji to access. “So he knows where to go,” McGrath explained. However, Boji’s independent streak was evident in his refusal to heed directions. McGrath observed, “He doesn’t listen to anybody… He just goes where he wants to go.”
Boji’s journey took a heartwarming turn in 2022 when he finally found a permanent home after years of traveling on public transport. Ekrem Imamoglu, the city mayor at the time, announced that Boji was adopted by Omer Koc, chairperson of Koc Holding, one of Turkey’s largest conglomerates. Before his adoption, Boji was housed at a shelter run by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality due to the city’s cold weather.
Despite his popularity, Boji faced adversity in the form of a smear campaign. A photo circulating on social media appeared to show Boji defecating on a tram seat, but security footage later revealed that the mess was planted by an unknown individual.