The Dogs of Chernobyl, a Story of Hope and Resilience

35 years after the nuclear accident I went to Chernobyl to participate in a spay/neuter and research campaign for the dogs that were descended from the pets left behind after the nuclear plant disaster of 1986 (and that were not killed by the military).

With many personally shot photos and videos I tell my story of meeting the inhabitants of the mostly abandoned town of Chernobyl City (you will meet 2 squatters, one a hero of the disaster), the totally abandoned city of Pripyat and the dogs (and some cats!) that we encountered.

I will discuss (and show) radiation being detected including on some dogs and the impact of the environment on their lives. And you will even meet some inhabitants of the town of Slavutych which was built in the year following the accident to house the inhabitants of Pripyat after they were belatedly evacuated. It is a story of resilience, hope, life and even heroism. Q&A to follow.

Stephen Quandt, Feline Behaviorist, FFCP, most recently with the Animal Care Centers of NYC (nycacc.org) and also of the ASPCA.org has worked in animal welfare since 2002 and has created this webinar based on his experiences in the Exclusion Zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.