Dog Days of August

The stifling heat of August was long ago swept away by the chilly rains and cold nights of autumn. Snow is present throughout the entire year in the high peaks of the Zailiysky Alatau branch of the Tian Shan mountains, but lately it has crept down into the foothills above town, which receive a dusting every time it rains in Issyk. It feels like we are on the verge of deep winter despite it only being October and in the south. It's amazing to think that the sweaty days when we first arrived were only two months ago.

As time passes, some things change and some things don't. One thing that has remained a constant in Issyk is the very same thing that was the consensus most shocking thing to our group of trainees upon our arrival -- the state of the dogs. Everywhere in town is rife with strays, which are most frequently seen digging through the trash heaps for food. Many of the dogs exhibit the dichotomy of hostility and cowering fear that's found among animals that haven't been treated well. I have started to notice dogs running around in packs of up to eight in the mornings when I walk to class, as if they have started to shed their domestication and are rediscovering their natural instincts. And we've all seen dead dogs lying on the side of the road at times -- not every day, but more often than anyone would like to think. I don't know who takes them away, but they do disappear fairly quickly.

I'm neither a dog person nor a cat person. I've never had a pet so I am not as attached to animals or the concept of animals as others are, but it's still sad to see. This isn't to say that there aren't many well-cared-for dogs here, but there's clearly a higher number of strays here than anywhere else I've seen. It's just a small anecdote about cultural attitude differences.