Crufts dog show returns after Covid break and Brexit

More than 20,000 dogs are expected at the four-day show, but organisers have banned those from Russia and their owners because of the invasion of Ukraine

Crufts was last held in 2020, when the winner of Best in Show was Maisie, a wire-haired dachshund

Tens of thousands of dogs and their owners are expected for the return of the world's biggest dog show on Thursday, as Crufts makes a comeback after a two-year absence.

The last edition was in March 2020, just before Britain locked down as coronavirus swept the globe and before the country geared up to leave the European Union after Brexit.

But Russian dog owners and their animals have been banned from attending after organisers at The Kennel Club condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The decision affects about 30 Russian owners and breeders and 51 dogs that had been due to participate in the show, which was first held in 1891.

It is donating £50,000 (60,000 euros, $66,000) to help partner organisations in Ukraine, Poland and Hungary help breeders, owners and their dogs affected by the conflict.

"Following an uncertain few years, we were anticipating lower entry numbers owing to both changes to pet travel in the aftermath of Brexit, as well as the impact of the pandemic, with many people being unable to travel, particularly those from overseas, or being unable to commit to travel at this time," the Kennel Club told AFP.

Of those, just over 1,800 are from overseas -- well down on the more than 3,000 foreign entrants in various competitions in the show two years ago.

The winner of the 2020 Best in Show was Maisie, a wire-haired dachshund.

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