Street dogs as symbols of protests

Did you know that in Chile and across the world, dogs have become a symbol of the fight for social justice? In Chile, on any given day, dogs can be found roaming the streets, on their own, without owners. If you see a video of any parade, any protest or any public event, look carefully and you are guaranteed to see a street dog right in the thick. These dogs connect with the public, especially students, and they have now become a symbol of the recent social movement in Chile and many other countries.

So who are these famous dogs? In Chile, it is a black dog with a red bandana, now world-renowned for its representation of justice. Armenia has had two infamous “protest dogs” – Spitak and Chalo. In Romania, dogs were so present at protests, a false news story emerged that people would get paid to bring a dog to the demonstrations. A dog named Loukanikos was famously connected to the anti-austerity protests in Greece in 2010.

Right now, in Chile, the visual impact of the street dogs as part of the protests is powerful. While we humans may be better at disguising our needs and insecurities, dogs have a way of laying it all out there. You can see right away that these dogs lack the healthcare they need. Most don’t have a safe home or a steady source of food. Many of the dogs participating in the protests are sprayed with water or tear gas resulting in eye and skin injuries. Sadly, many of the people protesting may be in the same situation as the dogs who march beside them – without proper healthcare, housing, or food.

At the GAAP, we provide care for animals in vulnerable situations. Although having these warrior dogs as symbols of justice is quite romantic, the reality is much less glamorous for them. They need care and we can provide it.  

Part of the longer term solution for these abandoned street dogs is our education program that aims to reduce the number of animals left alone in the streets and encourage responsible pet ownership. Through education of kids and the community, we are working toward a cultural shift in the way animals are viewed here to promote quality care that starts at the individual level.  

Big changes take time. We get it. The dogs have marched with us. Will you march with them? Click the button below to take a stand by learning more about our Equality Campaign. For a limited time, any amount you can contribute will be matched. That means we could do twice as much with your contribution.  

Every dollar that you donate (up to $10,000) will be matched this holiday season!

You can double the good by donating now to our equality for all campaign.​