Why Are The Chernobyl Stray Dogs Coloured Blue? Here's What The Researchers Say About It

On 13 October, the non-profit organisation Dogs of Chernobyl, under the Clean Futures Fund, spotted blue-coloured stray dogs in the town of Chernobyl in northern Ukraine.

The town of Chernobyl was the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, when Reactor No. 4 exploded during a late-night safety test. The blast released massive amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere, making it the worst nuclear accident in history.

Dozens died from acute radiation exposure, while thousands more suffered long-term health effects, and vast areas of Ukraine and Belarus remain contaminated to this day.

The blue-coloured stray dogs found in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone may be descendants of those left behind during the disaster. But what's the mystery behind their unusual colour? Is nuclear radiation to blame? Here's what researchers have to say.

Mystery Behind Chernobyl Blue-Coloured Stray Dogs

A video showing three blue-coloured stray dogs from Chernobyl has gone viral after the non-profit Dogs of Chernobyl shared it on their social media pages.

The unusual sight has sparked curiosity online, as even the organisation admitted they have no idea why the dogs turned blue. The organisation added that they are trying to catch the dogs to find the truth.

In the video, Dogs of Chernobyl said: 'A very unique experience we have to discuss — Chornobyl blue dogs. We are on the ground catching dogs for sterilisation, and we came across three dogs that were completely blue. We are not sure exactly what is going [on].'

They continued: 'The townspeople were asking us why the dogs were blue. We do not know the reason and are attempting to catch them so we can find out what is happening. Most likely, they've come into contact with some sort of chemical. They seem very active, and so far, we have not been able to catch them.'

Clean Futures Fund Shuts Down Fake Photo Claims

As the mystery consumes the internet, many netizens accused the organisation of faking the blue dogs to attract donations or spread false information. However, the non-profit quickly clapped back, dismissing claims that the photos were staged or that the team had sprayed the dogs blue.

'I don't know what to tell you except that we don't have time to be doing things like that, nor do we need to,' the organisation wrote. 'We are confident that the reputation of our organisation speaks for itself.'

They further clarified, 'These photos were taken by Darrin, the lead of our catching team, a few days ago. We've been trying for days to find the dogs again to catch them for sterilisation purposes only, and possibly wash off whatever they've gotten into. All of our photos are geo-tagged, so yes — they were taken in Chornobyl, Ukraine, which is where we are right now.'

'This is our mission, to sterilize these dogs in Chornobyl town. Most likely, these dogs are getting into something. No, they have not turned blue because of radiation, and no, we are not saying they have turned blue because of radiation,' they added.

The Truth Is 'A Little Bit Gross'

The truth behind the blue fur is actually not something bizarre and definitely not caused by nuclear radiation. The real culprit? The dogs have been rolling around in a nearby porta-potty.

Researchers from the Dogs of Chernobyl program spoke to IFLScience to reveal that the three dogs are most likely just having a great time rolling in a broken portable toilet where bright blue chemical fluid had leaked out, thus making them blue.

'They appear to have been rolling in a substance that had accumulated on their fur. We are suspecting that this substance was from an old portable toilet that was in the same location as the dogs; however, we were unable to positively confirm our suspicions,' said Dr. Jennifer Betz, Veterinary Medical Director for the Dogs of Chernobyl program.

'We are not in any way saying that it is related to radiation in Chornobyl,' she added.

While the situation might look shocking, Dr. Betz and her team are optimistic that their dye job won't harm the dogs in the long run.

'The dogs appear healthy, as do all of the other dogs that we have encountered during our time in Chornobyl. I would suspect, as long as they don't lick the majority of the substance off of their fur, it would be mostly harmless,' Dr. Betz assured

Interestingly, this isn't the first time blue dogs have appeared in the area. Residents spotted a pack of bright blue dogs near the abandoned chemical plant in 2021. It's believed that they have rolled in copper sulfate, a blue industrial chemical.

Since 2017, the organisation has sterilised more than 1,000 cats and dogs as part of an ongoing effort to keep the semi-feral population in check.