Earlier this month an art museum in Athens opened its doors to dogs so the canine community could experience a quiet sniff around important works of art. This might seem rather trivial but when you consider that the "No Dogs Allowed" sign is one of the most familiar around the world the dogs need as much moral support as they can get. It must be a bit disheartening for hounds to be greeted everywhere by signs that they are not wanted… an odd way to treat man's best friend.
The event in Greece was held to promote World Stray Animals Day and encourage people to adopt homeless canines. It was organised by the splendidly-named Socrates Shelter which might possibly be home to the smartest dogs in the world, or at least the most philosophical. I am pleased to report that given the freedom of the museum the doggies behaved themselves impeccably and there were no reports of piddling on priceless works of art.
You may recall that back in 2010 the Sydney Opera House hosted the first-ever concert for dogs which turned out to be a howling success. About 1,000 canines accompanied by their owners showed up for a concert that included whistles, violins and synthesisers producing funky sounds that had our furry friends yelping in delight. There was even an encore which prompted much wagging of tails.
