Demand rising to adopt Istanbul’s famous stray dog ‘Boji’

ISTANBUL

Famous institutions and celebrities have applied to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality to adopt “Boji,” the city’s beloved stray dog that gained fame after being spotted by locals for touring the city with public transport and framed over pooping on a train.

The municipality’s dog, which was recently accused of pooping on a train, was absolved from the social media smear campaign when surveillance footage showed a man planting the poop on the train instead.

“After these speculations, we are afraid that someone would harm Boji. That’s why we want to give the dog to someone with a house on a large field,” said Murat Ongun, the municipality’s spokesperson.

The statement by the spokesperson led to rising demand for adopting Boji, with people applying to the municipality in scores.

Officials at the Nesin Mathematics Village in the western province of İzmir’s Şirince district became the first to embrace Boji.

“Our village is surrounded by nature. Boji can freely live here, a place with no walls. We do not have a metro here, but we can carry it on our backs,” tweeted Emrah Bakırcıoğlui, the operations manager of the village.

The French Lape Hospital in Istanbul’s Şişli district became the second institution to apply to adopt Boji.

“Boji is a special dog. It trusts people so much. It tours the city a lot but you never know where the danger will come from,” Ali Yeşilırmak, Boji’s instructor, told daily Hürriyet.

Celebrity singer Demet Akalın and actor İlker Ayrık also officially declared that they wanted to share their residential areas with Boji.

The municipality will give the latest decision on Boji’s new life and its future whereabouts.

Boji captured hearts when commuters uploaded its photos on trains, trams, metros and ferries touring Istanbul in the spring. In a short time, several people opened social media accounts dedicated to Boji, making it one of the symbols of the metropolis.

Though the latest “poop plot” led some social media users to criticize the dog’s using public transport, thousands showed their love for Boji.