Commuter Dogs

UK tabloid The Sun ran an article about suburban-based Moscow dogs that have learned to board the subway to urban areas, where scavenging for food is easier and more rewarding:

"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 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.

They sneak up behind people eating shawarmas — then bark loudly to shock them into dropping their food.

With children the dogs play cute by putting their heads on youngsters’ knees and staring pleadingly into their eyes to win sympathy — and scraps."

At the end of an exhausting day scamming food from city folks, these resourceful mutts get back on the trains and head home to the quieter suburbs. Although I doubt they get drunk and verbally abuse their children.