--- title: "Blue Dogs Discovered Near Abandoned Chemical Plant" description: "Blue dogs were found roaming the streets of Dzerzhinsk, Russia near an abandoned chemical plant. Learn what caused this strange reaction." date: "2021-02-16" modified: "2021-02-24" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/blue-dogs-discovered-near-abandoned-chemical-plant" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "dogs" - "Russia" - "the digest" --- # Blue Dogs Discovered Near Abandoned Chemical Plant ![Stray dogs with strangely bright blue fur have been spotted roaming the streets near an abandoned chemical plant in the Russian city of Dzerzhinsk.]() *\Image: Twitter via RIA Novosti\* ## Blue Dogs Stray dogs with bright blue fur have been spotted roaming the streets near an abandoned chemical plant in the Russian city of Dzerzhinsk, [*Newsweek* reports](), about 230 miles east of Moscow. Animal activist groups suspect exposure to harmful chemicals may have resulted in the animals' furs taking on the blue hue, as state-owned news outlet [*RIA Novosti* suggested]() in a Monday tweet. https://twitter.com/chapoisat/status/1361517615391387648 ## Cyan Cyanide According [to *The Moscow Times*](), the nearby factory produced plexiglass and hydrocyanic acid, which is hydrogen cyanide dissolved in water. Hydrogen cyanide is an extremely poisonous compound that is the precursor of several polymers. The dogs' fur may have also been dyed by other chemicals including copper sulfate, a bright blue inorganic compound used in a number of industrial processes. In other words, it's still unclear what the exact cause of the blue fur is — but it's bad news for the wellness of the poor dogs regardless. "The dye on their fur implies they have had direct contact with or even ingestion of potentially toxic or harmful substances," Kelly O'Meara, Humane Society International's Vice President of companion animals, told *Newsweek*. "This could result in painful skin burning or itching or internal bleeding and illness that could lead to death, without veterinary intervention," O'Meara added. ## Happy Ending The factory went bankrupt in 2015, [according to a *RIA Novosti* ]()report from last week, allowing stray dogs to hang out there. For now, city officials from Dzerzhinsk have taken the dogs to a veterinarian nearby to have them tested. Photos [published by *Reuters*]() show the blue dogs being looked after at a shelter in Nizhny Novogrod, a city an hour away from Dzerzhinsk. Fortunately, there's some good news as well: Two of the dogs have already found new owners. **READ MORE:** [Blue Dogs Photos Prompts Health Concerns From Animal Welfare Charity]() \[*Newsweek*\] **More on Russia:** *[Russia Complains That Assassins Are Getting Paid in Cryptocurrencies]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()