Defending the Strays of Chernobyl Disaster

Help stray animals forced to survive in the harsh environment of Chernobyl.

In 1986 there was an accident and catastrophic explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in northern Ukraine. Radioactive materials quickly spread into the environment, forcing officials in the former Soviet republic to evacuate over 120,000 people from nearly 200 cities and communities around the power plant. Pets were not allowed to be taken, instead they were abandoned—their owners never to return. After the evacuations were complete, soldiers were dispatched to shoot and kill the abandoned animals. Not all of the animals were killed. The remaining pets, left to the wild, began migrating to areas of the exclusion zone where cleanup workers worked and stayed during the battle to contain the nuclear catastrophe.

Today, there are nearly 1,000 stray dogs and over 100 stray cats that live at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant or in the exclusion zone that surrounds it. These animals are largely the descendants of the abandoned pets and are exposed to rabies by predators and other animals in the exclusion zone. There is a national shortage of rabies vaccine for humans in Ukraine, making potential exposure of humans to rabies an even greater concern. The dogs rely on the workers for food and care, but the first thing the stray dogs do when you feed them is breed. Every year over 200 new puppies are born in the exclusion zone, but most will not survive the predators and harsh conditions. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant and Ukrainian government don't have the funds to humanely care for the stray dog population. The only solution they have available, is to cull the population. With your help The Clean Futures Fund is able to purchase vaccines, spay/neuter supplies, hire Ukrainian vets, set up field veterinary hospitals, establish contamination control stations, and purchase dog food.

You can help. Just $5 helps care for the abandoned animals in Chernobyl.

The Clean Futures Fund (CFF) is a U.S. non-profit organization established to raise awareness and provide international support for communities affected by industrial accidents and long-term remedial activities. CFF identifies and finances humanitarian aid projects and the exchange of information and experiences from affected communities in order to support long-term remedial activities around the world. The Fund is dedicated to strengthening international relations and advancing the United States as a cornerstone of humanitarian aid and a contributing member of the global community.