On November 6, 2021, Canton Public Library hosts a Zoom program called The Dogs of Chernobyl, presented by Stephen Quandt, an animal behaviorist and engaging speaker, whose visit to the Ukrainian location of the nuclear disaster to aid the dogs turned up some encouraging experiences and data.

“This presentation blew me away,” raves Amber Pasiak, librarian at the Edith B. Ford Memorial
Library in New York. “Quandt’s humorous and lighthearted telling of his experience working
with the dogs and the people who remain at the Chernobyl site is truly an emotional uplifter.
For those who ever wonder about how disasters affect animals in the long run, or if you just
love dogs, this one’s for you.”

Stephen relates, “I went to Chernobyl as part of a campaign to spay, neuter, and do research
on these dogs and I feature personally-shot photos and video from the abandoned towns of
Pripyat and Chernobyl City, both in the exclusion zone around the plant. Sharing his emotional
response to the surviving and eventual thriving of the dogs, he says, “The story sneaks up on
you in ways that catch you off guard and by the end you arrive at a place of hope and even
redemption.” This rare look at Chernobyl and the dogs (and some people) who continue to live
there is a story of life and resilience and even heroism. A reading list is available and the DNA
research study on the dogs is coming out this year.

Mr. Quandt, most recently the Feline Behavior Coordinator for Animal Care Centers of NYC
and of the ASPCA, specializes in a compassionate, educational approach to programs about
animal behavior. Participants will have a chance to pose questions after the lecture portion.

Please register by emailing Beth Van Ness at bvanness@libraryconnection.info for the private
Zoom link to the presentation. Those who wish help with the technology may contact Beth for
assistance in advance of the meeting