Dog breeders from across Greater Manchester and Cheshire have expressed their ‘disgust’ after a prize-winning dog was ‘maliciously poisoned’ at Crufts over the weekend – but claim it’s happened ‘many times before’.
Jagger, an award-winning Irish Setter, died at his Belgium home just hours after he had come second in his class at the world-renowned dog competition.
The three-year-old’s owners have claimed that Jagger, whose stage name was Thendara Satisfaction, was poisoned because someone set out to target the ‘best dog show in the world’.
Kennel Club assured breeder Dorothy Brooks, originally from Wilmslow but now living in Chelford, doesn’t believe it is the first time it has happened.
“It’s happened many times before,” she told MM. “I know it has so I never leave my dogs unattended. Very few leave them unattended at the benches.”
However the breeder would not elaborate further on when or under what circumstances she believed it had occurred for fear of reprisal.
Mrs Brooks, who now co-owns a Swedish show dog named Gaode, the daughter of her most successful bred dog Dublin (pictured above), was keen to share her anger towards those responsible for what she deems the ‘most recent’ poisoning.
She said: “It’s disgusting, I just can’t believe that people can be so cruel to humans or animals but with what is going on in the world at this present time, nothing surprises me.
“Why pick on innocent animals, it’s just beyond words and it really upsets me. That poor dog had done no harm to anybody and neither did his owners.
“It’s supposed to be a hobby. You don’t go around poisoning dogs because they beat you, it’s just horrible.”
A Greater Manchester-based breeder, who wishes to remain anonymous, agrees that handlers should always be vigilant when showcasing their dogs.
“I’m just gobsmacked that anybody could actually do that,” said the source.
“It wouldn’t deter me from competing because I enjoy it.”
When MM quizzed the source on the allegations of previous poisonings, they refused to comment but said: “You’ve just got to keep an eye out for your dogs. Simple as that.”
Dee Miligan-Bott and her husband Jeremy Bott, both former co-owners of the late Jagger, believe that their dog was fed poisoned meat when he was sat at his bench – an area where entrants sit and wait before entering the show ring.
It is claimed that Irish Setter Jagger was left on his own at the benches for up to 15 minutes at a time and it was during this time frame he was fed pieces of beef cubes that a post-mortem later revealed were laced with ‘green and black’ substances.
“That dog must have been in agony, she was only three years of age. There’s no excuse for it and I do hope they find out who it was,” Mrs Brooks said.
“How they will find out is another question because how can you pin point anybody as there were thousands and thousands of people in attendance.”
Outraged Twitter users took to the social networking site to express their opinions on the competition’s bad turn of events.
So sad that someone poisoned a dog at Crufts the owner must be so heartbroken
— Marykate ⚜ (@mkobrienx) March 9, 2015
Poisoning and killing a reserved place dog on Crufts because you’re jealous. We live in a sick world!
— Jasmine Archer (@jasminearcher18) March 9, 2015
What sort of planet am I on that crufts owners are poisoning other dogs for a competitive edge?? About ready to jack it all in to be honest
— the doc (@DrCMiller) March 9, 2015
Though the incident has left lovers of the world renowned show that has been running for 124
years, Dorothy insists that recent events will not deter her from competing in future shows.
She said: “It won’t put me off because I have somebody with me looking after my dogs the whole of the time. I never, ever, ever leave them.”
Please note: main image is of Dublin and co-owner Anette Dyren, NOT of Dorothy Brooks.
