Was Jagger's death just another poisoning?

The Kennel Club, which organises Crufts, reported last week that it was impossible for Jagger (pictured) to have been poisoned during the show. Independent toxicology reports had revealed the presence of two fast-acting pesticides, carbofuran and aldicarb. Jagger must have ingested the poisons 30 minutes to three hours before they took effect. Jagger left Crufts on 5 March and died late at night on 6 March.

“Regardless of the fact that the poison was not ingested at Crufts a dog has very sadly died,” a statement from the Kennel Club concludes. The case against a disgruntled fellow dog-breeder at Crufts may be dismissed, but the mystery remains. Who killed Jagger, and why?

“Hopefully, Jagger was just the wrong dog at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said his owner, Willem Lauwers. There has been a suggestion that meets those criteria. Lauw, a district of Tongeren, where the Lauwers live, has seen 10 cases of cat poisonings over the last two months. Pet owners are afraid to let their animals go outside.

Could this explain poor Jagger’s demise?

Photo by Dee Milligan-Bott