Fun article on the stray population in Moscow, with a profile of a biologist who has studied their behavior for the last 30 years. He estimates that there are 30-35,000 strays in the city. Last time I was on Red Square one of our (drunken) companions broke into sobs and lamented the fate of Russia's domesticated animals (remember that?). Good times.
Two good quotes:
Neuronov says there are some 500 strays that live in the metro stations, especially during the colder months, but only about 20 have learned how to ride the trains.And:
Leaving the windows open once the thaw of spring finally took hold, I found myself pulled out of a deep slumber by a cacophony that sounded as if packs of dogs were tearing each other apart in the grounds of our apartment complex. This went on for weeks. I later learned that spring is when many strays mate – “the dog marriage season”, as Russians poetically call it.My apartment sits across from some sort of medical institute which has a large courtyard out front. Every night an assembly of 15-20 strays congregates there. I like to imagine training them into a disciplined pack, following behind me through the streets of St. Pete, fighting crime and football hooligans.
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