In the subway near the Mendeleevskaya metro station, you can see an unusual monument — a bronze sculpture of a small mongrel dog, near which flowers always lie. This monument is called “Empathy”, and it has a very difficult history.

This metro station was once home to the inconspicuous mongrel Boy. As a result of the conflict that took place in 2001, the dog died. As they say, the incident happened when a dog breeder went down to the subway with her terrier. The animals quarreled. And the hostess intervened. As a result, the Boy died. A criminal case was opened, as a result of which the woman was sent for treatment to a psychiatric hospital.

The public was shocked by what happened, a group of representatives of the creative intelligentsia made a petition to install a monument to the deceased Boy. This request was granted, and a bronze sculpture was cast, which immortalized the memory of the dog and embodied a protest against the abuse of our smaller brothers. Famous singer Pyotr Nalich took a direct part in the creation of “Sympathy”.

The bronze dog is not only a reminder to everyone of the need to love all living things. It is believed that if you scratch the monument to the Boy behind your ear while passing by, it will invariably bring good luck.