Malchik
 Compassionmonument on a 2019postage stampofRussia | |
| Species | Dog |
|---|---|
| Breed | Mongrel |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | c. 1996 Moscow,Russia |
| Died | December 2001 Moscow,Russia |
| Nation from | Russian |
| Occupation | Station resident |
| Known for | Popular resident at theMendeleyevskaya station,stabbed to death by a railway commuter |
| Appearance | Black |
Malchik(Russian:Мальчик,lit. 'Little Boy';c.1996 – December 2001) was a blackmongrelstray dogliving inMoscow,Russia.For about three years, Malchik lived at theMendeleyevskaya stationon theMoscow Metro.In 2001, he was killed when a 22-year-old woman, Yuliana Romanova, stabbed him with a kitchen knife.[1]The incident sparked a wave of public outrage regarding thetreatment of animals,and, in 2007, a monument was erected in Malchik's honour at Mendeleyevskaya station.[2]
Life at Mendeleyevskaya station
[edit]Malchik was a black mongrel stray dog, who lived at theMendeleyevskaya stationfor about three years.[3]He became a popular station "resident" among commuters and railway employers, who often brought him food,[1][4]and he often defended his territory against drunks and other dogs.[1]
Death
[edit]On a winter evening in December 2001,[5]22-year-old Yuliana Romanova (Volkova) was passing through Mendeleyevskaya station with her petStaffordshire Bull Terrier.[6]They encountered Malchik in a pedestrian underpass, and the stray dog barked at the pair.[1][7]One report holds that Romanova set her dog on the sleeping Malchik.[8][6]Romanova reached into her purse, removed a kitchen knife, and stabbed Malchik six times in the back, chest and stomach.[8]The dog died several minutes later.[1]
A shopkeeper from a nearby stall tried to prevent the attack, but Malchik died before the police and an ambulance arrived.[9]The woman was said to have fled the scene and there was no formal investigation initially.[9]However, Romanova was traced back as the killer by Irina Ozyornaya, an investigative reporter of the popular newspaperIzvestiya,who started writing articles about the incident, identifying Romanova as a young fashion model.[9]When contacted by the reporter, Romanova reportedly shrugged off the incident.[9]Later it was revealed that Romanova has a long history of cruelty to animals and psychiatric treatment.[10]After a year of campaigning, however, Romanova was arrested and tried, and underwent one year of psychiatric treatment.[1]The story of Malchik's death received widespread coverage in the Russian media.[4]
Monument
[edit]In February 2007, a monument entitled "Compassion"[2](or "Sympathy";[8]Russian:Сочувствие) was erected at Mendeleyevskaya station.[4]The monument was funded by public donations.[4][11]Abronzesculpture of Malchik was placed on a monolithic pedestal ofserpentine.[2]It was erected on the night of 15/16 February 2007 and officially unveiled on 17 February.[2]Among the artists responsible for the monument were sculptorAlexander Tsigal,artistSergey Tsigal,architectAndrey Nalich,and designerPeter Nalich.[2]The unveiling ceremony was attended by notable artists, many of whom had donated money for the monument's installation, includingAndrey Makarevich,Mikhail Shirvindt,Veniamin Smekhov,Oleg Anofriev,Ludmila KasatkinaandSergey Yursky.[2]The Russian inscription on the monument reads "'Compassion' is dedicated to humane relationships with homeless animals."[12]The monument has been cited as one of Moscow's most unusual tourist attractions.[13]As with other monuments in the Moscow metro stations,[14]passersby rub the monument's nose for good luck.[7]
Legacy
[edit]Joanna Bednarek wrote that Malchik's story typifies the "peculiar mix of cruelty and sentimentality present in our approach to domesticated animals, particularly dogs."[11]In 2019, thepostal department of Russiareleased a postage stamp portraying theCompassionmonument in the memory of Malchik.[citation needed]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^abcdefSusanne Sternthal (16 January 2010)."Moscow's stray dogs".The Financial Times.Retrieved22 April2010.
- ^abcdef"The unveiling of" Compassion "monument to stray pets".Moscow Metro Official Site. Archived fromthe originalon 4 October 2011.Retrieved22 April2010.
- ^Dixon, Robyn(20 August 2020)."In Moscow, a woman devotes her life to saving dogs".The Washington Post.Moscow.Retrieved1 July2021.
- ^abcdBuckle, Jackie (2019).Monumental Tales: The fascinating stories behind the world's pet statues and memorials.Cambridge, UK: The Lutterworth Press. pp. 102–3.ISBN978-0-7188-9545-7.
- ^"Man brutally kills pregnant dog for no particular reasons".Pravda.ru. 19 November 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 23 April 2010.Retrieved22 April2010.
- ^ab"Russian top model brutally stabs mongrel dog in Moscow".9 November 2005. Archived fromthe originalon 26 March 2010.Retrieved1 July2021.
- ^abMarquardt, Alex (19 March 2010)."Stray Dogs Master Complex Moscow Subway System".ABC News.Moscow.Retrieved1 July2021.
- ^abc"A group of Russian artists shocked with the young girl's brutality initiated the making of a monument to the killed dog".Pravda.ru. 9 November 2005. Archived fromthe originalon 26 March 2010.Retrieved22 April2010.
- ^abcd"'Compassion', Moscow, Russia: A monument to Malchik, a stray dog who lived in a Moscow metro station until his tragic death ".Atlas Obscura.AtlasObscura. n.d.Retrieved30 June2020.
- ^Contrary to many news reports, Romanova was not a professional model: she made only one occasional shot with a Russian modeling agency "Art-Site"; see"Ну, подумаешь, собачку ножом пырнула"Archived11 June 2009 at theWayback Machine
- ^abBednarek, Joanna (2017). "The Oedipal animal? Companion species and becoming". In Gardner, Colin; MacCormack, Patricia (eds.).Deleuze and the Animal.Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 71–72.ISBN978-1-4744-2273-4.
- ^Caldwell, Melissa L. (2017).Living Faithfully in an Unjust World: Compassionate Care in Russia.Oakland, California: University of California Press. pp. 1–2.ISBN978-0-520-28584-2.
- ^Satenstein, Liana (9 May 2016)."Hidden Caves, Cosmonauts Alley, and More: Moscow's Unexpected Attractions".Vogue.Archivedfrom the original on 19 August 2020.Retrieved20 August2020.
- ^Vedyashkin, Sergei (26 November 2020)."Stop Touching Metro Sculptures for Luck, Moscow Metro Urges Riders".Moscow Times.Moscow.Retrieved1 July2021.