Each year, millions of tourists flock to Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, drawn by its grand palaces, elegant timber mansions, lush parks, scenic ferry rides, and intricate ceramic art. But among the bustling crowds and historic sites, visitors may notice an unusual local celebrity—the friendly face of Boji, a commuter street dog known to just about everyone who regularly travels through the city.
Image Source: Boji is a regular Istanbul commuter, using the city's public transport systems to get around, sometimes traveling up to 30 kilometers a day using subway trains, ferries, buses and Istanbuls historic trams. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
Boji, once a stray, has become a dedicated commuter, exploring Istanbul via ferries, buses, metro trains, trams, and subway cars. His name, "Boji," is derived from the Turkish word for "bogie," the area between subway cars he loves to ride. This Anatolian shepherd mix, with his golden-brown coat, soulful dark eyes, and floppy ears, has won hearts across social media, achieving near-celebrity status as the city’s most beloved passenger.
Image Source: Boji has learnt how and where to get on and off the trains and ferries. As people began to notice him as a regular on their daily travel routes and since the tracking app began, Boji's travels have made him an internet sensation. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
In 2021, municipal officials were amazed to learn about this dog’s travels. They arranged for his vaccination and fitted a microchip on his body to track his movements. The trackers reported that Boji traveled an estimated 30 kilometers a day, passing through dozens of metro stations and taking at least two ferry rides. “He knows where to go. He knows where to get out,” said Aylin Erol, the head of customer relations at Metro Istanbul, per CNN.
Image Source: Most days, Boji will pass through at least 29 metro stations and take at least two ferry rides. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
Later that year, Chris McGrath, a Getty Images photographer, spent a day with Boji and documented his adventures in a series of photographs. In his interview with CNN, McGrath described the canine as a " free spirit. All he wants to do is ride on transportation. Every time he goes past a bus or van, or any form of transport, he just wants to get on it. It’s quite bizarre.”
Image Source: Since noticing the dogs movements the Istanbul Municipality officials began tracking his commutes via a microchip and a phone app. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
McGrath recalled that Boji is well aware of what he needs to do and where he needs to go while traveling on trains or ferries. He also said that Boji likes the vibrations of the vehicles’ engines, so he usually sits where the wheels are underneath. The pup doesn’t like cats, though.
Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images
Although nowadays, Boji has a Wikipedia page dedicated to his information, McGrath first learned about him via Twitter, “Everybody knows him now. Everybody sees him,” he said. McGrath described that municipal officials also took Boji for grooming and behavioral therapy sessions, gave him some TLC, and created a kennel at one of the metro stations.
Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images
McGrath also said that the municipality will soon be putting posters of Boji on the transit system, guiding people on how to interact with him. “He doesn’t listen to anybody. Like if you do try to tell him something, he just ignores you. Lots of people say, ‘Come over here, sit here,’ and he just ignores it. He goes where he wants to go. He’s that sort of spirit. He just wants to go and do his own thing, and travel around, and he’s quite content doing it.”
Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images
In 2022, according to the Daily Sabah, Boji was adopted by Mehmet Ömer Koç, a billionaire, Turkish businessman, art collector, and chairman of Koç Holding. At this time, the commuter dog was spending his days at a shelter operated by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) to stay warm in the cold weather. That’s when the city’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoğlu announced his new home on Twitter and thanked Koç, "Boji, Istanbul's world-famous dog, now has a home where he can roam, run freely. He will be away from people who wanted to hurt him," he tweeted.
According to Hurriyet News, in 2022, Istanbul’s celebrity pooch also inspired a cryptocurrency project aimed at helping stray animals. A portion of the transaction fees obtained from the cryptocurrency released under the name “Boji Token” is donated to shelters as dog food.
Wanderlust can take one to places, and in the case of Boji, he is already on his way to traverse the globe. According to his Wikipedia page, Boji was last spotted in London with his owner on a London bus. Well, he is the dog who likes to wander and wouldn’t stop!
This article originally appeared 6 months ago.
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