Crufts carries on without sponsorship
Despite all of the controversy sparked over the last year through the Pedigree Dogs Exposed programme, and subsequent media circus that followed, Crufts, the centrepiece in the dog breeder’s calendar, is underway in Birmingham. This time however, Crufts is running without the backing and coverage provided in recent years by the BBC, the RSPCA and dog food manufacture Pedigree.
The BBC made the decision to drop Crufts amid cries that pedigree dogs were not as healthy as they appeared, and breeder guidelines were at odds with what was best for the dogs themselves.
Even without the BBC, RSPCA and Pedigree, the major sponsors of Crufts in recent years, the show is still expected to attract 28,000 dogs.
The Kennel Club also expects the show to attract the same size crowd as last year’s show, 160,000 spectators. With the BBC having pulled out, and the rumoured take up from Sky never materialising, this year’s Crufts show is being broadcast online.
Caroline Kisko from the Kennel Club stated:
We are pleased to go online… because, although the show will no longer be on the BBC, we know that it is the world’s best platform to bring together those organisations and individuals who care about dogs.
We have the continued support of many high-profile veterinary organisations and dog welfare charities.[We] and want to ensure that we continue to engage the support of those dog lovers who are unable to get to the show.
