Dogs abandoned in Chernobyl have been rescued and are set to be rehomed.

Following the nuclear disaster in 1986 that forced over 300,000 people to leave their homes, many pets including dogs and cats were abandoned as families had no choice but to flee. 12 dogs have been recently rescued from the fallout zone in Ukraine and will soon be rehomed in the US. NGO Clean Futures Fund rescued the dozen pups in an attempt to reduce the number of stray animals currently living in the exclusion zone. The zone, which covers some 30 kilometres, became uninhabitable after reactor four of the Chernobyl nuclear plant exploded during a safety check. It is not known exactly how many people died as a result of the explosion. Following the disaster, soldiers were sent into some of the surrounding villages to kill the surviving animals, however many managed to escape and continued to live in the area. The Dogs of Chernobyl, as they have come to be known, will be sent to quarantine for 45 days to ensure their health. The 12 pups will then be transferred to America to be put up for adoption. Clean Futures Fund co-founders Erik Kambarian and Lucas Hixson thanked everyone who had supported them in their efforts to save the dogs over the past few years. On Facebook, they said that they were "forever thankful and appreciative - and these guys are too (the dogs)." Feature image via CFF Facebook.