Dogs offer human beings a sense of comfort. From having an excited golden retriever zoom in circles as you enter your home after a long day to simply reaching down from your couch to pat your pooch’s head or give them a belly rub, there is something reassuring and consoling about interacting with the soul and spirit of a dog.
At the Ploshchad Revolyutsii subway stop in Moscow, Russia, there is a special dog tribute that offers busy commuters and preoccupied passersby the opportunity to engage with the essence of dogs and allegedly gain some good luck along the way. This shiny-snouted dog is part of a prominent bronze sculpture featuring a Russian soldier lightly hunched in a heavy winter overcoat, one arm holding a long, bolt-action rifle, the other arm draped over the shoulder of his steadfast companion, an alert and protective dog.
A Dog Tribute Touched by a Million Hands
In today’s post-pandemic world – where people are hyper-vigilant about mitigating the spread of viruses and limiting contact with strangers – this famous but nameless dog in a busy Moscow station may finally be getting a break. Ploshchad Revolyutsii station was opened in 1938 and features 76 statues created in the socialist realism style, each aesthetically buttressed by a pair of nearby bronze sculptures depicting everyday Russian people. From athletes and farmers and school children to soldiers with lucky dogs – these artworks tell the story of Russia’s revolutionary past up until the day a nameless Russian first touched the nameless dog’s lucky snout.
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Since that day – long before Perestroika and pandemics – millions of hopeful hands have reached out to the lucky dog, simply to connect with whatever it is inside of them that compels them to reach out while walking by. There is something so human about wanting to connect with a dog. Perhaps its the need to connect with a living thing that is so empathetic, loving, and nonjudgemental. Perhaps, in some weird way, petting a dog doesn’t make us more human, but less human, as we become more of a participant in the dog’s world. Perhaps it doesn’t matter. The shine on this doggy’s nose is evidence enough that it has been polished and buffed to the point of glowing – worn down and brightened up by the touch of countless subterranean, peripatetic souls.
Humans’ Complex Reliance on War Animals
Sadly, animals have always been part of human wars. From Hannibal’s elephants and WWII naval cats to homing pigeons and horses riding into battle, animals have always played – or have been forced to be part of – human nature at its worst. This is because animals, particularly dogs, make excellent soldiers; they are loyal, focused, and highly trainable. Dogs love having a job to do, especially when that job entails being part of a pack. Dogs have always made for excellent brothers in arms.
Surely the stoic expression on this soldier’s face is partly due to the comfort and confidence he feels by having his loyal dog at his side. And that sense of feeling protected, of companionship, of sharing an experience with an animal that never hesitates to take a bullet for you or storm together into enemy trenches – speaks to the vulnerabilities we all feel as regular people. Life is hard. Everyone needs a companion. Soldiers. Subway commuters. And dogs, too.
[Visit pet eulogies, funerals, and obituaries for Dogs, Cats, Birds, Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Reptiles, Fish, and other beloved pets.]