Unbelievable!
Dear friends,
This is a short story you have to read. It is amazing on many levels. You wouldn’t think this is possible but it is happening and people don’t mind. The intelligence is amazing. People take the subway to go to work to earn to eat. These special passengers are doing the same to look for food. Please read to see what I mean.
Tsem Rinpoche
Stray Dogs Master Complex Moscow Subway System
Animals in the wild have to continually contend with the expansion of human civilization. Certain wild animals have learned to coexist and even thrive in urban settings, pigeons and raccoons being obvious examples.
Well, subway goers in Moscow are becoming familiar with stray dogs. These dogs have become accustomed to using the subway system as a means to travel across Moscow, even managing to catch a nap along the way. The dogs hop on in the morning and travel to the city center where they spend the day begging for scraps. At the end of the day they get back on the subway and travel to the suburbs where they sleep in relative safety.
The dogs have become experts at judging the length of time they need to stay on the train, and seem to work together to ensure that they exit the subway at the right stop.
Scientists believe this phenomenon began after the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, and Russia’s new capitalists moved industrial complexes from the city center to the suburbs.
Dr Andrei Poiarkov, of the Moscow Ecology and Evolution Institute, said: “These complexes were used by homeless dogs as shelters, so the dogs had to move together with their houses. Because the best scavenging for food is in the city center, the dogs had to learn how to travel on the subway – to get to the center in the morning, then back home in the evening, just like people.”
For more info: http://abcnews.go.com/International/Technology/stray-dogs-master-complex-moscow-subway-system/story?id=10145833#.UYE95b6wq6L
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This is amazing. Never think of the strays dog can be so intelligent. They are acting just like us humans.I am very happy that they are so smart and finally found their way or the best solution to get their food.
What’s most amazing about dogs is that even after so much cruelty they go through, even after their traumas, you will notice that they still will love you back if you show them some kind of affection. Thank you for sharing this interesting article.
Wow…interesting and Unbelievable we can learn something amazing here.Homesless dogs were learning to travel on the subway going to the city looking for food. They are just like us using the subway system as a means to travel across Moscow.The people at the subway have compassion for dogs.Thats really beautiful as dogs are allowed in the train for free as well and the people at the subway are familiar with them around.They are smart,have feelings and intelligent as humans beings.It show that they needs love,care too and they will be loyal to us.Hence be kind,caring and loving to all ,they are one of us.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. It is so amazing to see these homeless dogs learn to take the subway train to the city in search for food and back during the night. Sometimes, humans may be over-pampered until they do not know even how to take a public transport and sometimes even taking things for granted. Sometimes when we are in a situation where we must learn to be independent and learn up to survive. Again this is another article that humans need to learn from the animals.
With folded palms,
Vivian
This is great and i love the idea that humans can coexist with these animals on their daily lives. Animals are smart and it is so cool how they can navigate themselves to get off at different stops. thank you for sharing Rinpoche.
All of us has the survival instinct, regardless of any forms. Man kind able to survive through the environmental changes thousand and millions years ago. Forms of living are evolved to adapt the surrounding environment in order to live longer. Moreover dogs have the similar intelligent as human and bonus add on to have great smell to trance his way back to where he comes from.
The dogs are way larger than I thought they would be, they are quite similar to wolves. They are so civilised and funny! It’s really odd to see them using the subways as well! On the other hand, it’s also very sad to know that they are living a human life. They are animals and they are supposed to live their own life. I cannot imagine if someday they are bullied or abused by the passengers in the subway, really sad..
Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.
These dogs are just like the daily train commuters. Hopping on at one station and hopping off at another. It looks like they have an in-built clock that works quietly inside.
These are intelligent beings that need no words to express themselves. We as human beings underestimate our four-footed friends.
Thanks Rinpoche for sharing this post…The article shock our normal view,how stray dog can be so intelligent,just like human to find the way to survival. And show us human and animal or other sentient beings can living together peacefully, it’s just depends on how is our behaviors and compassion to treat them.
These doggies are smarrrrrt! So cute to see this, it goes to show how smart dogs are. So if they are this smart to figure out the timing of when the train actually stops and get off, it means they are very intelligent beings so why would they not feel pain if we inflict on them? How could we treat them so cruelly and give them pain thinking they are life that is not worthy?
What’s most amazing about dogs is that even after so much cruelty they go through, even after their traumas, you will notice that they still will love you back if you show them some kind of affection. That is the great quality of a dog… always loyal. Sometimes not even a human have this quality in them.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this post. This is amazing. Never think of the strays dog can be so intelligent. They are acting just like us humans. This shows that how intelligent they are and they will find ways survive. It is really wonderful to see human and other animals living together peacefully.
This is indeed an unbelievable and interesting story. Dogs are intelligent animals and they can learn fast. Once they know they can find foods in that particular area they will always go back there. My sister used to feed stray dogs, one or two dogs only at the back lane of our house in the evening, after eating they disappeared but they will come back again the next day almost at the same time. Animals have instinct so as dogs they can follow the scents to get there and after awhile it became a routine for them. In this story it is lucky that the Moscow subway system masters allowed dogs to travel to and fro for free! They are very kind hearted.
This is too cute and smart! Even as humans, we would sometimes miss our stop if we fall asleep during the journey. But the doggies are just too smart!
Nature never ceases to amaze me! It’s stories like these that makes us reflect on how smart these creatures are.. =)
Thank you for sharing, Rinpoche!
Thanks Rinpoche for sharing this interesting article. Dogs are as intelligent as human being, they have feeling and thinking like us. However, a lot of people have ignored these factors merely due to our ignorance that we failed to understand them. I hope more and more animal abuser can realize this factor soon.
Wow wow wow….it is really amazing and unbelievable! They are just like us besides different form 🙂
It is so nice that human and other sentient beings living together peacefully 🙂
This is amazing article i ever read how dog can travel by subway to find food from different city.it show how intelligent the animal can learn the new rule of the environment to find food using what human had created the transport system.
Amazing! Yes, they do need to survive too, just like us. I am very happy that they are so smart and finally found their way or the best solution to get their food. What could be more beautiful that the passegers actually do not mind traveling with these dogs everyday.
What first came into my mind when I read about this story was, when we are put into a situation that we need to strive or struggle to survive, we will think deep and find our way out. Hence do not see difficulties as a problems or worse some people see it as end of the world. When you see the glim of light or found the solutions, be proud of yourself cause you just gained another level of wisdom.
Wow, so wonderful to read this heart warming post. And thanks for the peoples around the dog not disturb him.
May the dog able to collect more merits that able to take better rebirth and practice Dharma. And may all sentient beings always in a good condition to continue their life…
Dear Rinpoche it is really amazing that dogs are allowed to board trains and they know when it is time to go down the train.
You won’t really find a lot of countries that allows dogs on to the trains,this shows how compassionate the people in Moscow to allow dogs to go on board the train.
This post also proofs that dogs knows how and when to do things.These dogs are really smart.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this inspirational and heart warming post.
Animals are extremely clever creatures. So, why do people want to hurt innocent animals. This is extremely unbelievable. Humans should not abandon their pets. it is a very nasty thing to do!
this is really amazing the stray dog know how to use the subway. it was grateful the subway management and the passager can accept the scenario so that the stray dogs can find the food to eat and survive.
Frankly I am not surprised, dogs and any other animals have shown incredible signs of intelligence. Its sad to know that in some cases animals are able to show more compassion than humans, being seen as a lower being than humans, they do not deserve such despicable treatment. This is clear proof that even a dog can accustom to a some humans daily schedule. Its nice to know that this has been going on for a while and there hasn’t been anyone to disturb them or stopping them from taking the train. Lovely story, thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
Wow… This dogs really amazing and intelligences, that knows how to take train to travel. This is really very interesting story and love it much.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this post to us.
As wonderful as this story is, it really is not all that surprising in the sense i know for a fact dogs have an uncanny sense of perception and a strong habitual nature for survival. Not unlike us human counterparts really!
Hence they make such great companions, as the expression goes “man’s best friend”.
What dogs lack in terms of reading in terms of knowing where to get off, they have an uncanny perception for space and time. For example the case of Hachiko whereby, he would go to the train station at the precise time his master would come back from work on the train from just sensing time passing (lucky, trains in Japan are on time!!! – hehehe)
Stories like these gives us a deeper understanding of the workings of yet another complex living being that although may not look like us but certainly have a place in this world… sometimes with habits that seem very much like our own, which may be much closer than we think!:)
Thank you for the sharing Rinpoche.It is really wonderful ,how dogs could adapt to changes in order to survive.I would say the Russian are quite kind to allowed these homeless pets to coexist with human in the subway.
The dog in the picture seems quite healthy.I suppose ,it was a pet to someone earlier and somehow neglected along the way.It might be trained or experience the way to ride the subway earlier.Anyway I hope it could find a good master to take him home as a pet to give him some loving care that it deserved.
How disarming and touching! Humans drive animals out of the wilds into the city and suburbs, by their expanding into the ‘homes’ and natural habitats of these beings. So these animals rise to the occasion and quickly master the human art of commuting to the city in the day to scavenge for food, and returning back by subway to the safe suburbs in the evening.
These dogs appear quite relax, as they catch a nap on the train. It’s nice to see humans and animals living in such peaceful symbiosis!
This is amazing. Not only humans have to look for a living but animals too especially when their habitats are destroyed by development. Dogs are highly intelligent animals and they will find ways and means to survive. It is so heartwarming to see this dog taking a nap along the way. He must be very tired after a hard day’s work, traveling, scavenging and begging for food.
This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing it. Wonderful to see that people in Moscow have compassion for our dog friends.
This is so cool. Dogs are so smart. The fact that they could actually be smart enough to even tell which stop that they needed to get off is super cool, and amazing. Dogs are truly very special creatures, they are loving, smart and compassionate. I hope that people do no abuse them when they are on the subway. Thank you for sharing Rinpoche.
The strays are super smart and adorable! Can you imagine… They travel around just like us people but not for shopping nor work though. Hehe… And they know when to get off! Its sad that these strays were chased out of the complex and go beg for food somewhere else. And the people are kind too as they do not chase nor disturb them.
Like what Albert said, dogs are learning to drive too! How intelligent!
Dear Rinpoche,
Hehehe This blog post about stray dogs taking the subway in Moscow is just to cute!
It’s amazing how they may just be dogs and yet they act so smart just like us humans.
I am very impressed how smart the dogs are to even know where they are going to get off the train.
I am also happy that the passengers and the management of the subway are ok with the dogs riding on the train… really really glad that nobody forces them of the train.
Thank You Rinpoche for making my day with this cute attack!
Love
Jutika
Thank you Rinpoche for this post.
I had a philosophy teacher at high school that said:
“we, humans, are animals no more, but we are not yet something else”.
And we do think of ourselves as so much more than the animal realm that we abuse them, we under-estimate them, we use them as industrial goods provided by nature in profusion, we trap them, we poison them so they can produce more flesh, rarely do we treasure them as toy-pets, only if they are cute and healthy and convenient also…
Perhaps to become something else than animals we should start by respecting, protecting and caring for them… That’d be a step forward perhaps?
This is truly amazing! Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the short story with the mumu picture. Let’s share our living places with animals around us and live with them as neighbours and friends. They deserve to live with much protection and food.
wow, this is so cool and intelligent. it is nice to know that people and animals are so calm and okay with coexisting with animals on an everyday process, i love animals and i wish it could be like this here. be vegetarian and save lives!!!!!!
Haha smart dogs. I bet the dogs must have discovered this technology when one of the dogs accidentally went inside the train and found out that the train brought it to other town, I think this is how they found the way of to travel with agility without using any energy. Haha LOL!
Looks like its a fantastic surprise for such an amazing event happening in an animals’ life in the Soviet Union. Like humans looking for food, the dogs learned how best to scavenge for food in the city centre in the Soviet Union. In the morning, the dogs have mastered how to travel on the subway and then towards the evening, they learnt how to travel back, just like humans do. These dogs seemed to have become so accustomed to the travelling on the subway, and they seem to be treating the subways, as “a means of travel across Moscow” so habitually, that the subway-goers in Moscow are becoming familar with stray dogs! The amazing part is that the animals can become expert at judging length of time they need to stay on the train, then exit the subway at the right stop!! This proves they can be more amazingly intelligient than humans on many levels, unbelievable, but yet its true! Therefore, animals should be duly treated with respect and kindness like a human.
I totally agree with Martin that we are very similar to dogs, not superior just the same sentient beings. This reflect on how humans can think of themselves being superior and have animals be treated badly and also be eaten by us. Eating of another human being is cannibalism then eating an animal should also be frowned on if we think animals like us, just sentient beings.
This story makes me realise how ignorant we are and also self centered.
When I read this story, it remind me 30 years ago, my house has a very big size cat and it always give us problem. After few months, we can’t tolerate the cat and my father decided to send the cat far away from our house. Unbelievable the cat came back to our house after one week. Unbelievable is because it would take 3 hours to walk to reach my house and how the cat get the direction. Until now, we still don’t know how the cat recognizes the direction towards our house. However since them, we let the cat stay with us until he die at old age, although the cat keep giving us problem by mess up our house. Also, since them i noticed my family develop a kind heart to take care those cats and dogs “walk in” to our house.
This news reminds me of an animated film directed by Isao Takahata – Pom Poko.
The story begins in late 1960s Japan. A group of tanuki (raccoon dogs) are threatened by a gigantic suburban development project on the outskirts of Tokyo. The development is cutting into their forest habitat and dividing their land.
With limited living space and food decreasing every year, the tanuki begin fighting among themselves for the diminishing resources, but later they decide to unify to stop the development…This story tells the reality of excessive development which threaten the living habitat of wild animals and how animals adapt themselves to the changing/transformation of environment…Some “transform” as human and live like human, some remains as tanuki in outskirts of Tokyo. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pom_Poko)
The story of Pom Poko is fun, and this Moscow dogs story shows the intelligence of animals, at the same time interaction between human, animals and environment, which is imbalance and does not bring harmony and peace to all.
It is difficult to explain how the dogs can determine the exact travelling time without watch 🙂 I hope human and other animals can co-exist peacefully..
From stories like Hachiko ( http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/film-tv-music/hachiko-a-lesson-in-eternal-friendship-loyalty.html ), where the dog would faithfully wait for his master everyday, i have no doubt that dogs are able to gauge time somehow – and very accurately too. Animals have remarkable senses and intuitions which we humans have no clue about. Therefore we should stop feeling so superior to the animals and respect them instead.
This story of the dogs using the subway is amazing – can you imagine what goes on in animals’ heads – just because they can’t talk, we think they are stupid, but they are actually a whole lot smarter than we think they are!! That is why Rinpoche says never be cruel to animals and never eat them.
I am very sure they have their own means of communication to help them with their daily undertakings in their life. What I find interesting is that apart of sensing the length of their journey, they also have the ability to sense human emotions.
Many researches have been done which proves on many levels that dogs can very much help aid humankind in recovering of certain sicknesses.
Oh my goodness! I don’t know why but reading this article certainly sent some shocks to my brain lol! It really is unbelievable how intelligent dogs are that many times they shock us, people on their level of intelligence.
I have heard of dogs finding their way back home after being abandoned or lost for long periods of time, but i certainly have not heard of dogs taking the subway to ‘work’ and then returning home after that every single day… this is really something amazing.
Thank you for sharing this news. When we read news about how intelligent animals are… we should not just go ‘wow, how wonderful’ but think deeper and put a stand against cruelty towards animals. After all, looking at how these dogs in Moscow live their life… what different are we compared to these dogs…
Never be cruel to any single animal… they deserve care and love as much as anyone on earth.
This is just soooo cool! It’s really nice when society have some sort of awareness and regard for animals. I like the fact that people allow strays onto trains and understand their need to travel. At the same time, this shows that dogs possess quite superior intelligence on such matters. I know, I am not that well-versed with canine intelligence. I am still amazed anyway.
An interesting thought occurred to me that perhaps these dogs were reincarnations of previous dwellers of the city. That’s why they have latent memories of the ins and outs of the city and can travel back and forth like they once did before. That’s just as uncanny and perhaps a strange and indirect proof of reincarnation.
I think this article is amazing and shows survival brings out the intelligence. And now that David hasd mentioned about the dogs maybe reincarnates of previous dwellers, makes me think there might be some truth in that. May all sentient beings quickly gain liberation from sufferings!
That’s right Sofi. Actually, the sad thing is that most people after living a lifetime of self-indulgence will take rebirth in the lower realms. If you don’t believe, just ask any clairvoyant master out there. All masters would confirm this and that’s why in the lamrim, it says that taking a human rebirth is as rare as a turtle that lifts its head in the vast ocean and manage to put its head right through a yoke.
If one studies that Dharma and the lamrim, an appreciation would grow in one’s heart for the Dharma and for the preciousness of this one human rebirth. With this human existence alone, one can create merit or demerits that will alter the course of lifetimes and if one’s diligent enough, up to one’s speedy attainment of Buddhahood in this very lifetime itself.
Oh my goodness, where on earth we can find a more beautiful story than this, really so heart warming.
This article clearly shows that human can live our own life, so do animals, they know to travel to find food and travel back, what difference does it make compare to human?
Animals are smart too, not only this, I’ve seen a video of how dog learn to drive and they can really drive. The link below shows how the dog learn to drive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWAK0J8Uhzk
As Buddha said before: “All sentient beings are equal”. It is so true as shown in this article..
This is a heartwarming post although it is also another reminder of how universally human beings are abandoning what was once pets, for whatever reasons. I especially like the picture, most of all because the people on the train do not seems to mind too much that a dog is actually taking a nap in a commuter train cabin. And that kindness and sharing of space with other living beings is something we all have to learn seeing that we are primarily responsible for displacing many of them to begin with.
On a funnier note, there isn’t all that much difference between man and animals as all have to look for a living on a daily basis and all have to adjust to changing circumstances. It is also amazing how well dogs learn to adapt to new rules and environment and in fact, are much less resistant to change than a lot of people.
Good to see the cute mumu having a good sleep. It must be quite cold. Poor thing.
I agree with you Martin! There is not much difference between man and animals, and I think for animals to live in the urban city is NOT FAIR! Imagine we have to live in the forest like the animals, it will be tough for us right??
Since it is not fair for the animals who live in the city with us, and this unfairness somehow caused by human, we have to bear the responsibilities. How we bear the responsibility? By being kind to them, give them shelter and food, don’t bully them, because they are forced to live in the city too!! City certainly not a good place for them! Treat them with love is what we can offer very easily without sacrificing anything! Lets just do it!
I’m happy to see people in Moscow are okay with the dogs in subway! 🙂 Thank you Rinpoche for this wonderful post!
Yes! This really amazing! The dogs have the capacity to adapt to circumstances from living on the wild, the street, and now cities. Most animals are built to survive the environment without the intelligence to make their own food nor building their shelter. They are less resistance to change than us human beings who live in comfort of their home with warm meals. Animals live out exposed to rain and shine with cold foods most of the time. At the same time it is very saddening to see them adapting to human created environments for human. The dogs cannot survive alone but must work in packs to survive the artificial environment.
The is really unbelievable as the title of this post. This is indication and proof that dogs and other animals are sentient beings with instinct to survive and the intelligence to master the complex inventions of humans. Since the dogs can’t read they have to time the trips or perhaps the stops (which would be easier) and also the correct platforms and directions. Even some human can seem to get on the correct train, haha but the dogs there are more intelligent in this case. Unbelievable.