Santiago, Chile — They don't have demands, but they're loyal to the cause and are always on the front lines of the fight. They run with protesters, lap up shots from water cannons, bark at police in riot gear and sometimes even bite officers.
Stray dogs are truly man's best friend for thousands of students and workers who demonstrate and clash with police nearly every day to press demands for education improvements, redistribution of Chile's wealth and environmental protections. As the protests become fixtures in this modernizing capital, normally unnoticed street dogs have become stars, with the Facebook fan pages and fawning media coverage to prove it.
"Blacky," a mutt adopted by young protesters, has become the most visible mascot, with rival fan pages totaling more than 7,000 subscribers or "likes."
"Dogs are super-loyal. They stand with the people, and I think they support the students," said Catalina Echenique, 17, who is planning to study psychiatry.
Free-roaming dogs number in the millions in Chile in a situation the nation's humane society has called alarming. Dog owners rarely spay or neuter their pets and commonly leave them outside when they go to work in the morning. Many roam the streets all day.
Dogs lurk around the presidential palace, take naps in parks and always seem in search of a bite to eat or the next protest.
While strays are feared in countries such as India, where tens of millions of street dogs have a reputation for biting people and spreading rabies, Chileans often feed and take care of strays.
"Dogs go to the protests because of a pack instinct. They play with the water jets, they're happy and don't know what's going on," said police officer Eduardo Basaez.
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