Crufts dog show gets underway two months late
The rescheduled Crufts dog show was starting today, more than two months after it was postponed because of the foot-and-mouth crisis.
The Kennel Club said more than 20,000 top pedigree dogs would be competing at the prestigious show, which is being held at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre.
The event is usually held in March, but with foot-and-mouth at its peak, organisers decided to postpone the show amid fears that pet owners may inadvertently spread the virus.
This year, due to the relaxation of quarantine laws, dogs from abroad are to be allowed to compete for the first time.
Over the next four days around 115,000 visitors are expected to visit the show, with 5,000 of them from overseas.
A spokesman for The Kennel Club, which runs Crufts, said: ‘‘We are delighted it is going ahead. We felt it was the right decision to postpone the show back in March when foot-and-mouth was at its worst.
‘‘We also have a responsibility to the world of dogs and we are happy that it is now going ahead. We are looking forward to a great show.’’
