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Dead Westminster Show Dog Might Have Been Poisoned
the daily dish
A dog who competed in Westminster earlier this month was dead four days after the competition, and now his handler and owners say the dog might have been poisoned, according to the Daily Mail U.K.
Cruz was a 3-year-old Samoyed show dog who competed in the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club dog show this year. Four days after that event, Cruz was in Colorado competing in another dog show when he began coughing up blood. The dog was rushed to a veterinarian, but died later that day. No official cause of death was determined, but his symptoms resembled those of a dog who had ingested rat poison.
Cruz's owners and his handler say the dog had no medical history to indicate that this would happen, nor does his bloodline contain genetic blood disorders or other diseases. They believe poisoning the more likely cause of Cruz's death.
Veterinarians who treated Cruz say that the most likely scenario was an accidental poisoning, not a deliberate attack. "Dogs are dogs," said Molly Comiskey, one of Cruz's doctors. "It's not anyone's fault. They eat stuff; they get into things; they make bad decisions."
Cruz's handler, Robert Chaffin, says he suspects that animal-rights extremists, who are known to have a presence at Westminster to protest the dog show, could be the culprits. Chaffin says he was by Cruz's side at all times, thoroughly checked their hotel room for possible poisons, and watched everything the dog ate before the competition, but that it would have been easy for someone to throw something in Cruz's crate.
Even if Cruz was intentionally poisoned, it would not be an unprecedented act. All the way back in 1895, eight dogs were poisoned the morning before the competition. And more recently, in 2010, a man was accused of drugging a Siberian Husky at the Wheaton Dog Show in Illinois, where his girlfriend was showing another dog in the same category. He was found not guilty of the crime.
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Cruz was a 3-year-old Samoyed show dog who competed in the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club dog show this year. Four days after that event, Cruz was in Colorado competing in another dog show when he began coughing up blood. The dog was rushed to a veterinarian, but died later that day. No official cause of death was determined, but his symptoms resembled those of a dog who had ingested rat poison.
Cruz's owners and his handler say the dog had no medical history to indicate that this would happen, nor does his bloodline contain genetic blood disorders or other diseases. They believe poisoning the more likely cause of Cruz's death.
Veterinarians who treated Cruz say that the most likely scenario was an accidental poisoning, not a deliberate attack. "Dogs are dogs," said Molly Comiskey, one of Cruz's doctors. "It's not anyone's fault. They eat stuff; they get into things; they make bad decisions."
Cruz's handler, Robert Chaffin, says he suspects that animal-rights extremists, who are known to have a presence at Westminster to protest the dog show, could be the culprits. Chaffin says he was by Cruz's side at all times, thoroughly checked their hotel room for possible poisons, and watched everything the dog ate before the competition, but that it would have been easy for someone to throw something in Cruz's crate.
Even if Cruz was intentionally poisoned, it would not be an unprecedented act. All the way back in 1895, eight dogs were poisoned the morning before the competition. And more recently, in 2010, a man was accused of drugging a Siberian Husky at the Wheaton Dog Show in Illinois, where his girlfriend was showing another dog in the same category. He was found not guilty of the crime.
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109 Comments
This is so sad. I hate pointing the finger at "animal rights extremists". There is only one group that would go so far as to kill an animal to make a point and like others said that would be PETA. They are not respected by most animal rights people. What I find funny is the handler stated he never left the animals side but that someone could have thrown something in the cage. Don't see how that is possible if you were right there the whole time. Poison would have to be put in something, you'd see the dog eating, not easy to put things through a dog crate either. Why didn't they have an autopsy done? I think the whole thing is suspect but I wouldn't put a finger even to PETA.
April 03 2013 at 12:37 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyoops meant point a finger to PETA, not put
April 03 2013 at 12:38 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIt's a well known fact that Peta nuts have put anti freeze into dogs water bowels at several shows.If people care about animal rights, PETA should be rejected as nothing more than a front and a terrorist org, hate group.Killing innocent animals should be a hate crime.Donate to the S.P.C.A. they do much better work.
March 01 2013 at 5:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyAnd also how convenient is ti to make claims here, and state that they're fact, but supply no source...?
March 01 2013 at 3:57 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI am sorry but you veirdos have a reputation and no brains.
March 02 2013 at 10:23 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHow convenient there was no necropsy before the owner started pointing fingers and placing blame.
March 01 2013 at 3:54 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyYeah, because rat poison is just something sitting around. An animal rights activist wouldn't have poisoned the dog. So, that leaves someone else... A competitor would most likely be the suspect. If it can happen everywhere else, it could happen at a dog show.
March 01 2013 at 12:40 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply"An animal rights activist wouldn't have poisoned the dog." A NORMAL person wouldn't have poisoned the dog. But extremists often use 'the ends justify the means' theory and have no compunction about using violence even when it affects that which they are trying to save. It's what makes them extremists. Google "PETA guilty of killing cats" and filter out the garbage first, and you'll see what I mean.
March 01 2013 at 5:07 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplySorry but I've been to NUMEROUS dog shows where the Animal Rights nuts have released dogs to run loose and "be free" including in the parking lot of a show grounds where an interstate ran along side AND releasing a deaf Great Dane. Luckily the owner's son just happened to walk across the sight path of the dog and she came to him. These are proven facts... not fiction.
March 01 2013 at 6:27 AM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down ReplyPETA kills more dogs a year than anyone can even fathom and they do it any way they can.. Their motto is extinction in one generation. :( Their "adoption" Kill rate is 94%.. not fiction .. that's published FACTS. HSUS doesn't even OWN a shelter, just a healthy pension fund of it's CEO and the like and the ASPCA the same. BTW.. the ASPCA is NOT the SPCA and don't have anything to do with the SPCA. Again .. FACT not fiction.
This dog COULD have been poisoned and dogs are NOT dogs. I know that my dogs won't just eat something for the sake of eating it.
Sorry but I've been to NUMEROUS dog shows where the AR nuts have released dogs to run loose including in the parking lot of a show grounds where an interstate ran along side AND releasing a deaf Great Dane. Luckily the owner's son just happened to walk across the sight path of the dog and she came to him. These are proven facts... not fiction.
March 01 2013 at 6:25 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyPETA kills more dogs a year than anyone can even fathom. Their "adoption" Kill rate is 94%.. not fiction .. that's published FACTS. HSUS doesn't even OWN a shelter, just a healthy pension fund of it's CEO and the like and the ASPCA the same. BTW.. the ASPCA is NOT the SPCA and don't have anything to do with the SPCA.
Animal rights activists killed your dog??? Riiiight. He prolly ate something bad and its sad but dont go pointing fingers with no evidence.
March 01 2013 at 4:10 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThey should check for PED like they do athletes.
March 01 2013 at 4:07 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThe dog looked very healthy & beautiful! It is a shame to see something like this happen to any animal. I refuse to point a finger. The person who did this knows who they are!!!!!!! God willing will see to KARMA. The dog was to healthy to die in a 4 day period & 1 day at the vet. I only feel sorry for the owner & his pet. The owner would not go to this length to show his dog just to kill it. Attention, o.k I have heard of stranger things.....maybe but I doubt it. There is no proof of anything, so it remains a mystery! To blame anybody without proof is a crime all of its own. This world would be a better place if people would stop pointing fingers. Justice remains at the end of time. Until then do the right thing...if you cannot take care of an animal, don't have one.....if you can all animals need a fair chance at a healthy vital life with a loving family or owner. My heart goes out to Cruz the 3-year-old Samoyed
March 01 2013 at 12:57 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIs that how you look at any crime, oh well, God will punish? I guess that's a good way to look at things, we can't worry about everything these days, it'll drive us nuts.
March 01 2013 at 3:09 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply