Russia’s stray dogs with bright-coloured fur – pictures

stray dog

First there were bright blue stray dogs, then bright green ones. Russia is trying to solve the mystery of these dogs, which appeared in industrial areas hundreds of miles apart. Seven dogs with blue fur were found roaming near a derelict glass factory in Dzerzhinsk, an industrial city near Nizhny Novgorod, 370km (230 miles) east of Moscow. The pictures went viral after local media reported the strange pack of dogs on 11 February.

The factory had been producing acrylic glass and prussic acid. It is suspected that the dogs rolled around in powdered blue dye at the plant. On 13 February the dogs were brought to a vets’ clinic in Nizhny Novgorod, where blood and faeces samples were taken. Traces of Prussian blue dye were found in their fur. Russian media report that the dogs appear healthy and are eating well. But there are still concerns that a toxic chemical, such as copper sulphate, might have caused the colour change.(BBC)…[+]