Representatives of the Clean Futures Fund visited the Chernobyl NPP industrial site on April 6. It is the American public organization established in 2016 to fight for the clean future of our planet. It was founded by Lucas Hixson and Eric Kambarian who visited the Chernobyl NPP for the past five years within the RAD-ER Program for professionals developed by Carl Willis and Willis Scientific Enterprises LLC.
Lucas Hixson and Eric Kambarian conducted numerous consultations with various organizations and universities in the United States of America, including the University of South Carolina, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, U.S.-Ukraine Charitable Foundation and experts from all over the world. The Fund is interested in coordination of programs such as the assistance to creating a joint working environment, which are connected with the Chernobyl NPP with the purpose to share experience and knowledge between the Ukrainian and international specialists. The Fund is interested in the programs which will directly impact on the ChNPP workers and veterans.
The objective of this visit lies in discussing technical details of both environmental and social project which starts at the ChNPP in the nearest time. The guests met with the SSE ChNPP Deputy General Director (for Licensing and Supervision) Mr. Konstantyn Shefer, personnel of Supervision Departments of SSE ChNPP and SE ChNPP FSD, which may be directly involved into implementation of this new project.
The project is about the following: a lot of stray animals, particularly dogs, have occurred at the Plant industrial site for a long period of time after the accident. The increase of their population bears the risks for people working at the site. The ChNPP cannot solve the problem of regulating the number of stray dogs using its own resources. Besides, the Ukrainian legislation foresees quite a harsh punishment for applying inhuman actions to reduce the number of stray animals.
The Clean Futures Fund proposed the Chernobyl NPP administration to solve the problem of dog populations by catching and subsequent sterilization of the animals.
During the discussions the Fund’s representatives proposed their own vision for the project implementation and its special aspects. The main activities on catching and sterilization of dogs will be performed by veterinary specialists and volunteers of Four Paws Club. However, the maximum involvement of volunteers from among the Chernobyl NPP workers was indicated as one of the key moments. This will enhance awareness of the personnel about the problem of stray dogs and their handling.
Other request was to provide a premise for arranging a surgery unit and rehabilitation zone. Such unit must have water and power supply, as well as be located at a place with convenient access from the project implementation areas: i.e. Chernobyl NPP site, Chernobyl and Prypiat cities.
After the discussions the Fund’s representatives visited places of the largest concentration of stray dogs: Administrative Building 1, ISF-2, canteen No.19, NSC Observation Pavilion, as well as Change Facilities “Semykhody” and “1430”. The number of dogs was counted and their general conditions were analyzed at the objects. All this information will eventually affect on duration of the project, amount of required resources and personnel.
In total, the Clean Futures Fund’s project is intended for three years. During this period, each summer, a team of five veterinaries, volunteers and professional dog catchers will arrive to the Exclusion Zone for executing sterilization, accounting of dogs and check of their state after the medical intervention.
The natural increase of number of stray dogs in the Exclusion Zone should stop completely as a result of the project. The Fund also will insist on induction of an attending (full time) veterinary who will provide competent assistance to the animals and keep watch over their possible breeding.
