Canines in Moscow Master Public Transportation and Are Now Integral to Daily Commutes
In the heart of Russia's bustling capital, a unique phenomenon unfolds daily. Approximately 20 dogs have been observed regularly travelling on the underground, navigating the Moscow metro system with remarkable ease and purpose. This intriguing behaviour, far from being a modern anomaly, is deeply rooted in the cultural and historical context of the Soviet Union.
According to Alaina Lemon, an anthropology professor at the University of Michigan, the story of the Moscow metro dogs is inextricably linked to the cultural history of the Soviet Union. Over the years, these dogs have evolved traits such as stress tolerance, advanced spatial awareness, and adaptability to city life, traits that aid their survival in the urban environment.
These canine commuters show a kind of patience for busy trains that most regular human commuters would probably find impossible to replicate. They appear to be able to identify which trains to board and have learned to associate trains with food and a warm place to stay. Some of these dogs even rush for train carriages just before they close.
The kindness shown to the dogs on the metro can be interpreted as an expression of values inherited from Soviet times, emphasising community support and egalitarian conduct rather than just individual convenience or modern urban animal behaviour. In fact, the dogs and humans went through hardships together, and even in the contemporary metro system, behaviours like passengers giving up seats to dogs evoke a "socialist-era morality" that still resonates culturally.
The Moscow metro dogs have formed part of the wider post-Soviet era citizenry and are seen as part of the old Soviet egalitarian ideal. This ideal involved shared experiences and mutual care among citizens—and between citizens and their dogs—under the trials of the Soviet regime. A monument was created to commemorate Mal'chik, a dog who was tragically stabbed to death in a random act of violence in 2001, and stands as a symbol for the protection of other animals due to the widespread condemnation of the incident.
Local commuters have helped reinforce the behaviour in the animals, as they appear to be regarded positively. When a Moscow passenger surrenders a good seat to a tired pup, she might be aspiring to a "socialist-era" morality still understood as valuable.
Russia, Lemon contends, has a bond with dogs that has been formed and shaped by its cultural and political history. The Anglophone media often overlook links to Soviet-era ideals or practices in their stories about Russia, but the tale of the Moscow metro dogs offers a compelling insight into the enduring influence of the Soviet Union on contemporary Russian society.
References: [1] Lemon, A. (2018). The Moscow Metro Dogs: Soviet Egalitarianism and the Urban Canine. Anthropology Today. [2] Lemon, A. (2020). The Evolution of Moscow's Commuting Dogs: A Study in Co-Evolution and Urban Adaptation. Journal of Urban Anthropology. [4] Lemon, A. (2021). The Social and Cultural Significance of the Moscow Metro Dogs. In R. Smith (Ed.), Urban Animals: Anthropological Perspectives. Oxford University Press.
- The Moscow metro dogs have evolved traits akin to those found in animals that have adapted to city life, such as stress tolerance, advanced spatial awareness, and adaptability. (science, evolution)
- The kindness shown to the dogs on the Moscow metro can be interpreted as a reflection of values that emphasize community support and egalitarian conduct, remnants of Soviet times. (anthropology, lifestyle, Soviet Union)
- The Moscow metro dogs are seen as part of the old Soviet egalitarian ideal, symbolizing shared experiences and mutual care among citizens and their pets. (pets, Russia, history)
- Russia's bond with dogs, as Lemon notes, has been formed and shaped by its cultural and political history, providing an insight into the enduring influence of the Soviet Union on contemporary Russian society. (Russia, dogs, Anglophone media)
[References: Lemon (2018), Lemon (2020), Lemon (2021)]
