Now stray dogs turn PINK ‘because of pollution from chemical waste’ in Russian city

Now stray dogs turn PINK ‘because of pollution from chemical waste’ in Russian city after another pack turned blue

  • Pink dogs were discovered next to the Kristall factory in Dzerzhinsk in Russia
  • The factory manufactures explosives and ammunition, according to reports
  • A pack of seven stray dogs had turned blue in the same polluted area 

Dogs have turned pink in a former chemical weapons-making city in Russia where there was a recent case of seven blue strays.

The incidents were in Dzerzhinsk, one of the world’s worst polluted locations.

An expert who examined the strays said their colouring — and poo — had both turned blue.

A first video of the stricken strays shows their colouring.

Officials and a top vet have since claimed to locals that the cause was not toxic, and denied the dogs suffered from chemical burning.

Dogs have turned pink in former chemical weapons-making city Dzerzhinsk in Russia where there was a recent case of seven blue strays

The pink dogs were discovered next to the Kristall factory in Dzerzhinsk in Russia which manufactures explosives and ammunition, said reports

Pink dogs were discovered next to the Kristall factory

The pink dogs were discovered next to the Kristall factory in Dzerzhinsk in Russia which manufactures explosives and ammunition, said reports

Yet despite this ‘assurance’, it is known the animals are to be kept under close monitoring for 20 days.

And in a separate area of the city – where almost 300,000 tons of chemical waste was dumped during and after the Cold War – there are now reported sightings of dogs with pink colouring.

They were spotted close to the Kristall defence plant – which manufactures explosives and ammunition, said reports.

A total of seven strays were caught earlier this month with blue skin and hair colouring near dilapidated Dzerzhinskoye Orgsteklo plant, once a large chemical production facility making hydrocyanic acid and plexiglass.

Initially the plant’s bankruptcy manager Andrey Mislivets suggested they had been poisoned with copper sulphate.

Officials and a top vet have since claimed to locals that the cause was not toxic, and denied the dogs suffered from chemical burning

Officials and a top vet have since claimed to locals that the cause was not toxic, and denied the dogs suffered from chemical burning

Dmitry Karelkin, head physician of Zoozashchita veterinary hospital, said only: ‘It is some kind of chemical.’

While it appeared ‘non-toxic’ with ‘no signs of irritating chemical burns’, he admitted some of the seven remained ‘under stress’.

He also revealed that the dogs’ excrement had been blue.

Officials have since played down the outbreak as being caused by ‘dye’.

Despite this, the ‘blue dogs’ remain under close monitoring, according to reports.

‘The (blue) dogs are supervised,’ said Karelkin.

‘They will stay with us for 20 days. Their skin and hair is all covered with the dye.’

Dmitry Karelkin, head physician of Zoozashchita veterinary hospital, said only: 'It is some kind of chemical.' Pictured: Dogs at Zoozaschita vet clinic

Dmitry Karelkin, head physician of Zoozashchita veterinary hospital, said only: ‘It is some kind of chemical.’ Pictured: Dogs at Zoozaschita vet clinic

An expert who examined the strays said their colouring - and poo - had both turned blue

An expert who examined the strays said their colouring – and poo – had both turned blue

The city’s administration said the seven were shaded ‘Prussian Blue’ after the incident.

Analysis of the dogs’ blood and excrement was undertaken at the Lobachevsky Research Institute of Chemistry at Nizhny Novgorod State University, and the Committee for State Veterinary Surveillance, it was announced.

This found the shocking colouring was not dangerous to their health.

It was unclear if several reported ‘pink’ dogs had been caught to be tested in the same way, or what the cause of their discolouring might be.

In 2007 the Blacksmith Institute – now Pure Earth – reported that Dzerzhinsk was one of the worst polluted cities of the world, after decades of chemical pollution, some linked to its previous role as a weapons-producing hub.

Officials in the city claimed the allegations were exaggerated.