Overview
- During an October 5–13 field visit, Dogs of Chernobyl staff encountered at least three dogs almost entirely coated in a vivid blue substance in Chernobyl city.
- Veterinary lead Dr. Jennifer Betz says geotagged images placed the dogs near an old portable toilet, making its blue deodorizer the leading hypothesis.
- Multiple capture attempts failed because the dogs were extremely fearful and would likely need blow-darting, delaying sampling and lab analysis.
- The team reports the dogs appear active and healthy, and the residue is expected to pose minimal risk unless large amounts are licked off.
- Dogs of Chernobyl, a Clean Futures Fund program operating since 2017, continues sterilization, vaccination, and population monitoring across the exclusion zone.