Toxicology report expected this week for Jagger
Crufts has been at the centre of a media storm in recent days after an Irish setter collapsed and died in a suspected poisoning shortly after competing.
Since then, there have been rumours of a number of other dogs taken ill during the competition, which is run by the Kennel Club.
In a statement, KC's secretary Caroline Kisko responded: "Allegations about dogs being poisoned at Crufts are understandably distressing to dog owners and lovers, so we must make it absolutely clear that there is currently no evidence that any dog has been poisoned at Crufts."
Irish setter Jagger, whose show name is Thendara Satisfaction, is said to have collapsed and died in Belgium around 26 hours after leaving Crufts.
According to a report in the Telegraph, the dog's co-owner Aleksandra Lauwers has disclosed the findings of an autopsy, which revealed three coloured substances sewn inside beef cubes in the dog's stomach.
Ms Kisko commented: "The facts surrounding Jagger's tragic death some 26 hours after leaving Crufts are still being established, and whilst there are suspicions about poisoning, the veterinary surgeon who carried out the post mortem has told the Kennel Club that she cannot comment on where, when and indeed if poisoning has taken place until the results of the toxicology report are available."
A Crufts judge who wished to remain anonymous allegedly told the Telegraph that two other dogs were taken ill during the competition and their owners fear they too were the victims of poisoning.
Responding to the claims, Ms Kisko stressed that "a number of the reports in the news about dogs becoming sick after leaving the show have been from anonymous sources, who have not reported the allegations to us or the police".
She added: "We cannot look into claims about which we have no direct information. We urge these people and anybody else who may have similar concerns to come forward and report them to the Kennel Club at press.office@thekennelclub.org.uk…
"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."
A spokesperson from West Midlands Police said: "In conjunction with the NEC and Crufts, West Midlands police are ensuring any possible sources of evidence are being secured and preserved."
Image: © Adam Ziaja/Wikipedia/CC BY 3.0
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
