Robot dog in Mexico teaches animal kindness on the streets

By Alberto Fajardo and Mariana Hernandez

He walks, he talks, he runs and he plays. He’s “Waldog,” an AI-powered robot that is making the rounds in the northern city of Monterrey, Mexico to raise awareness about animal abuse and welfare.

With a metallic, friendly voice, Waldog is about the size of a beagle and initiates conversations with children and adults about animal rights.

“Hi, I’m Waldog, and I’m here to give a voice to those who don’t have one, the animals who live on the streets,” he told one group of laughing residents in the low-income neighborhood of Santa Catarina in Monterrey on August 8.

Waldog told them his job is to “raise awareness” about animal treatment.

Federal Senator Waldo Fernandez of Monterrey told Reuters that he paid $4,084 for Waldog with his own money and named the pet after himself. Waldog needs adult accompaniment and is operated by a remote control.

Fernandez,