Boji is “The Dog Touring Istanbul,” or “İstanbul’u Turlayan Köpek” in his homeland. He’s a stray crossbreed of Sivas Kangal and Shepherd, who spends his days trekking the city by way of the public transportation system.
As reported by the Hürriyet Daily News, the dog travels 29 stops per day and even hops continents.
Hi, I’m Boji of Istanbul Just like millions of my fellow Istanbulites, I use @municipalityist‘s public transport services every day. Come and say hi if you spot me on the bus, the metro or the ferry. pic.twitter.com/h5wcs370X1
— Boji (@boji_ist) October 3, 2021
Occasionally catching a glimpse of a dog on the streets of Istanbul wouldn’t draw much attention. But a dog frequenting the metro lines certainly would — and did.
How Boji Became Famous
Biraz vapur biraz martı pic.twitter.com/lULfkJPWWt
— Boji (@boji_ist) October 2, 2021
After multiple sightings and postings on social media by his fellow travelers, Boji became a bit of a local celebrity.
Friends he made on his travels would take photos, noting the date they saw the stray, and then share them on social media to keep up with his journeys.
Not only does the incredibly smart canine travel using various trams, metro lines, and ferries, but he also adheres to the same public transportation etiquette that the humans do. When passengers disembark, Boji gives way and waits patiently for the train to empty before boarding.
BOJİ ile Toplu Ulaşım Kuralları:
1) Metroda inenlere öncelik tanıyız. pic.twitter.com/aUs8sGwP2w
— Boji (@boji_ist) October 2, 2021
Eventually, he picked up the name Boji, or Bogie, which is railway terminology for the undercarriage of a train where the traveling dog often sleeps between stops.
Bringing Boji In
To ensure Boji’s safety and to monitor his whereabouts, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality decided to bring him in and check him out, then fit him with a tracking device.
Surprisingly, the Municipality’s Veterinary Services Directorate determined from their examination that Boji had previously undergone some kind of health check, had been sterilized, and then sent back on his way.
After his checkup this time, he left with a little more human curiosity attached to him.
Tracking Boji’s Adventures
Metroda güvenlik için sarı çizgiyi geçmiyorum. Siz de geçmeyin. pic.twitter.com/DcXeur60DZ
— Boji (@boji_ist) October 3, 2021
From the tracking device, which can only be observed by the local authorities, it was discovered that Boji covers a minimum of 30 kilometers a day by way of public transport.
Some days he predominantly uses the T1 Tram Line, which runs from Kabataş to Bağcılar along Istanbul’s historic peninsula. But other days, to mix it up, he’ll jump on the M4 Metro Line, which is a 19-station rapid transit line that runs 27 kilometers on its own.
Follow Along With Boji!
Bugün biraz yoğundu, Fatih’te başlayan günümüz Bayrampaşa, Başakşehir metroları derken akşamüstü kendimi Üsküdar’a attım. Arada tanıyanlar çıktı, onlarla da selfie yaptım. pic.twitter.com/s3StrHWMYi
— Boji (@boji_ist) October 3, 2021
If you want to keep up with Boji’s day-to-day in Instanbul, then you can follow a Twitter account that has been set up for him (@Boji_ist).
The account posts photos and videos from fellow travelers regularly. People always seem to delight in his company!
What would you do if you saw a dog using public transportation? Will you be following along with Boji on Twitter? Then let us know in the comments below.
