The World’s Cutest Crossing Guard Is This Stray Dog
There are good boys, and then there’s this little fella, who helps kids cross the road safely by barking at cars.
Say you see a crosswalk full of kindergarteners down the road, what do you do? Stop? If your answer was anything else, you're the reason why a stray dog in Georgia is dedicating his life to helping people cross the road safely, as the world's smallest, barkiest crossing guard.
We're talking of course about Kupata, the unofficial city mascot of Batumi—Georgia's second-most populous city, according to Wander-Lush. Kupata (whose name translates as sausage) became internationally famous in early 2020, when a video of him helping kids cross the road by running out into traffic and barking his head off went viral. Kupata steps in front of cars ahead of the kids, putting himself at risk to guarantee their safe passage. In other words, he's a very good boy.
Kupata's activities are reportedly centered around only a single crosswalk, but his dedication has earned him the admiration of the city. Agenda.ge reports that the initial wave of viral attention inspired a stray dog adoption program in Batumi, as well as his own mural in June 2020. According to Yahoo! News, locals have honored Kupata by providing him with a kennel, and ensuring he is well-fed—allegedly with his namesake: sausages.
The wider world has come to appreciate Kupata too, with an Instagram fan account showing just how loved he is abroad. Hopefully, Kupata is allowed to go about his business in peace and safety, and his home (and the world beyond it) will realize how important it is that we prioritize pedestrian safety. If that much is apparent to even our four-legged friends, perhaps it should be obvious to us too.
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