A pack of dogs found in a Russian city with blue coats apparently had no adverse health effects, according to the initial investigation by animal experts.
Photos taken in Dzerzhinsk, 230 kilometers east of Moscow, went viral, prompting many dogs to link their coats’ different colors of blue to a chemical factory in the area.
The dogs were spotted by a factory yard that manufactured plexiglass and hydrosanoic acid before going bankrupt in 2015.
His former bankruptcy manager, Andrey Mislivets, told the RIA news agency that dogs regularly roamed the area and that bright blue copper sulphate, to which the animals were exposed, was stored on the site of the unused factory.
The photos, shared on the UK social networking site and reported by Russian media, have raised concerns about the animals’ well-being, as well as speculation about the authenticity of the images.
Authorities in the city have negotiated with the petrochemical company Orgsteklo for permission to enter the site of the hatch factory. Seven dogs were later taken for examination to Zoozachita-NN Veterinary Hospital in nearby Nizhny Novgorod.
Veterinarians said there was no reason to assume that the blue color on their fur would negatively affect their health, Komsomolskaya Pravda report.
In a statement to the RBC news agency, the director of the veterinary center, Vladimir Groisman, said: “We have already done the initial analysis of the animals. The general analysis of their blood and feces showed normal levels for everyone, including their biochemistry. “
Do you remember your brand of Derzhinska? After receiving the most important items from the trip, you will find some of the most common types of twos. If you are in contact with veterinarians, you will be interviewed by veterinarians – analysis of all seminars in the norm. Please send us a new message pic.twitter.com/GP0a0opUrd
– RIA News (@rianru) 15 February 2021
Groisman said earlier that the dogs probably hid from the cold and that their coats were stained by chemical residues. He doubted the dogs could be caught and then painted, saying the animals appeared to be well-fed and vigilant, reports the local news website Vgorode.
“We do not yet know what caused the staining of dogs’ fur. It requires large-scale analyzes, which we cannot do here,” he added.
The dogs will be kept under observation for a week, while two of the animals have found new owners, reports RIA.
The Humane Society International welfare group has expressed concern about the conditions of the dogs and called on authorities in Russian cities to introduce sterilization and vaccination programs to protect the well-being of stray dogs.
Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched into the cause of the incident by the Nizhny Novgorod and Mordovia branches of the Federal Service for the Supervision of Natural Resources, known as Rosprirodnadzor.
In a statement to Newsweek, Rosprirodnadzor, said he was preparing the legal procedure that would allow regular inspections at the factory site. Newsweek contacted Zoozachita-NN for comment.
