New Bedford Animal Control Officer Travels To Help Dogs Of Chernobyl
NEW BEDFORD (CBS) – There is no doubt, New Bedford Animal Control Director Emanuel Maciel loves animals, but his passion is improving people's relationships with them.
Maciel has worked for animal control for more than two decades. He has also responded across the country to disasters like hurricanes.
This time he went to Chernobyl, Ukraine, the site of the 1986 nuclear reactor disaster. Maciel took videos showing what it now looks like. Living around the power plant are hundreds of dogs, descendants of pets left behind when residents evacuated.
"Once I was there that feeling of danger, really the first day, went away," said Maciel.
Maciel used vacation time and for three weeks this summer, he was asked to join volunteers from around the world as part of the Clean Futures Fund. The organization helps the so-called Chernobyl dogs. Maciel helped round up hundreds of dogs often by tranquilizing them. The animals were then spayed or neutered, vaccinated and tagged.
"Shared different stories of things that they're doing, bringing back home some of the techniques," said Maciel.
Researchers are also using the information for long-term studies. He says the dogs are not radioactive, and he was continually checked. A few thousand workers still take care of the reactor and the dogs.
"They all love these dogs. They feed them they, obviously don't get close to them," said Maciel.
Looking back Maciel said he's proud of what they accomplished. They helped more than 630 animals.
And, yes he did consider bringing a pup back. "I love helping people. And, I love helping the animals," said Maciel.
