THE UNITED KINGDOM’S Kennel Club has said it has not yet received any information on several dogs that have reportedly fallen ill after last weekend’s Crufts competition.
An Irish Red Setter died after allegedly being poisoned.
Jagger, who won second in his class at the annual competition, died after he ate poisoned meat, his owners claim.
The Daily Telegraph reports that the suspected poisonings of two Shetland sheepdogs, a West Highland White terrier, an Afghan hound and a Shih Tzu, are being investigated.
In a statement today, Kennel Club secretary Caroline Kisko said any other incidents had not been reported to the organisation or to police.
“We cannot look into claims about which we have no direct information,” she said.
We urge these people and anybody else who may have similar concerns to come forward and report them.
However, the statement did confirm that other dogs had fallen ill during the competition, but not due to poisoning.
There have been reports about a few dogs who were unwell whilst at the show who were taken to one of the show vets and we can confirm that the vets at Crufts established no connection between sickness and poisoning.
“Whilst there is a great deal of rumour and speculation and currently no evidence of any poisoning taking place at Crufts we are very clear that anyone caught attempting to deliberately sabotage another competitor’s performance, particularly if a dog’s welfare is put at risk, will face severe disciplinary action,” Kisko said.
Crufts judge Pasty Hollings told Sky News said it was unlikely that any poisonings – if they did take place – were unlikely to have been carried out by another exhibitor at the competition, as it ‘isn’t just a beauty show, it’s about our love our dogs’.
“We are passionate about our dogs, we love our dogs, and while we ware extremely competitive, we’re not out to harm dogs, for goodness sake,” Hollings said.
“People might have a bit of an argument now and then, but it certainly is not going to affect the dog.”
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