In 1986, one of the greatest man-made disasters occured near the city of Pripyat, in the northern part of Ukraine. Families were forced to leave quickly on buses and trains, but were told they’d soon be able to return. So sadly, these families were forced to leave their pets, believing of course they’d soon be back. The city is still abandoned today, almost 37 years later. Most of the pets died but many of the dogs survived. And their offspring, the radioactive dogs of Chernobyl, live on today.
Watch the amazing video below...
…to see the story of the dogs that survived. They’ve formed packs with hierarchies and most are still surprisingly friendly toward people. Overall, they’re healthy, all things considered. And their health problems have less to do with the radiation that still exists as with their struggle to find food or get medication when needed. It’s a sad, touching story, especially if you’re a dog lover like me.
If you'd like to help these dogs, here's what you can do.
The radioactive dogs of Chernobyl receive no medical care or vaccinations other than what’s donated through the fund below (Clean Futures Fund, “CFF”). You can click the link to learn more about the fund and their objectives. (We, Lost Creek, aren’t endorsing any political idealogy and we know nothing about the CFF other than their support for these dogs. We advise you to do your own research before donating.)
Clean Futures Fund (CFF); U.S. 501(c)(3) – cleanfutures.org
