Crufts 2015: Mystery deepens over dog poisoned at iconic event

IT’S a scandalous tale worthy of a soap opera. Now the plot has thickened even further as it’s revealed up to six dogs may have been poisoned out of ‘jealousy’ at cutthroat UK dog show.

The iconic show is a beloved by diehard breeders, including this woman with her Shetland Sheepdogs. Picture: OLI SCARFF.

IT’S a scandalous tale worthy of a soap opera storyline. Now the plot has thickened even further as it’s been revealed six dogs may have been poisoned at iconic show Crufts after being fed tainted meat.

The Kennel Club is investigating reports of five other dogs, including two sheepdogs, a West Highland terrier, an Afghan Hound and a Shih tzu, whose owners have claimed their animals became ill after the show.

It follows the death of three-year-old Irish setter Jagger, who was fed beef tainted with slug killer at the prestigious exhibition in Birmingham over the weekend.

The death of three-year-old Jagger after eating poisoned meat has led to a huge scandal at the iconic doc show. Picture: AP/Oakdene.

The mystery has raised the possibility a serial poisoner is on the loose, and some believe their dogs were specifically targeted in order to eliminate them from the competition.

Shetland sheepdog owner Mylee Thomas said it may have been someone who didn’t agree with the premise of the show.

“I think it’s driven by jealousy,” she told The Telegraph. “People do get fed up with seeing the same dogs and bitches winning all the time.

“When my bitch became ill and I took her to the vet at Crufts, the vet said that in some years it happens quite a lot, but it doesn’t normally end up with dogs being killed.”

Dee Milligan-Bott believes the poison could have been meant for her other dog, Thendara Pot Noodle.

Mrs Thomas said she left the iconic competition, which more than 200 breeds are eligible to enter, for lunch and came back to find her dog violently ill.

“It couldn’t just be a member of the public walking past. It was someone who knows their dogs,” she said.

The Kennel Club is investigating the circumstances around Jagger’s death but warned against spreading “unsubstantiated rumours” before they know what happened.

“There are any number of reasons why a dog may display symptoms such as sickness. And should a dog fall sick, there are vets at the show who will examine the dog in question and file a report,” a spokesman said.

Dee Milligan-Bott and Jeremy Bott don’t think the poison, which a vet found to be slug killer, is the work of another competitor. Picture: AP Photo/Rui Vieira.

A post-mortem on Jagger conducted by a vet revealed slug killer was the cause. Owner Dee Milligan Bott said they want help in finding who did it.

“We can’t and we won’t think that this was the act of another exhibitor. If we thought this, we couldn’t go on, and the last 30 years would be a complete waste,” she said on Facebook.

“I ask all of you to unite in finding the perpetrator who did this.”

She has even suggested the poison could have been meant for another dog she owns, Thendara Pot Noodle, which has previously won a “Best of Breed” title at the show.

The mystery is one in a series of scandals that have plagued the industry. Picture: AP Photo/Rui Vieira.

Maltese, "Sasha" is one of 200 breeds at the event. Picture: AFP/BEN STANSALL

Dogs of all shapes and sizes have a shot at the coveted “best in show”. Picture: AP Photo/Rui Vieira.

DARK SIDE OF THE DOG SHOW CIRCUIT

It’s not the first time the industry has been subject to scandal in a competition where puppies from winning dogs can be worth thousands of dollars.

Jagger’s co-owner Willem Lauwers, who lives in Belgium, said he believes the dog was specifically targeted out of “jealousy”. Meanwhile his wife Aleksandra said “strange” things had been happening at previous events including cards going missing.

“At another competition somebody let [Jaggers] brother Pot Noodle out of his cage and he went missing for an hour,” she said.

In 1996 a breeder was banned for giving valium to a Chihuahua at a different British dog show and rumours of slipping dogs laxatives or putting chewing gum in their fur are rife.

What was that saying about dogs and owners? Picture: AFP/OLI SCARFF.

Two dachshunds with their man. Picture: Carl Court/Getty Images.

The competitive world is also opposed by animal rights activists who think keeping pure bred dogs is cruel.

A 2008 investigation by the BBC found the focus on appearance over animal health led to deformity and genetic disease and forced the broadcaster to drop the show. It now airs on a different network.

The controversy hasn’t stopped dog-lovers defending the show.

Jagger’s owners said they hope the death won’t overshadow the “positive aspects” of the event — which attracts more than 21,000 people from 43 countries each year.

Take a look inside the unusual world of competitive dog shows below:

Good grooming is essential to have a shot at the prize. Picture: OLI SCARFF

Striking a pose is also an art form. Picture: Carl Court/Getty Images.

The four-day event was is the largest show of its kind in the world. Picture: Carl Court/Getty Images.

Pomeranians are one of the popular breeds included, which come from as far away as Brazil, Canada and South Korea. Picture: AFP/Oli Scarff.

It also proves there is no way dogs don’t look like their owners. Picture: Carl Court/Getty Images.

A man chillin’ with his poodles. Picture: Carl Court/Getty Images.

Twins. Picture: AFP/OLI SCARFF

Smile! A Tibetan terrier is one of the thousands of entrants. Picture: Carl Court/Getty Images.