Can we bring back the puppy parade for therapy after this story? Cruz, one of the dogs who participated in the Westminster Kennel Club dog show earlier this month, died shortly after the competition—and his handler and owner suspect foul play. According to handler Robert Chaffin, 3-year-old Cruz was healthy on the eve of the competition, and the dog’s veterinarian said Cruz had symptoms prior to his death similar to those in dogs that ingested rat poison. While the vet said she doubted that Cruz had been deliberately poisoned, Chaffin said it would have been extremely difficult for the dog to have accidentally ingested the poison—and it wouldn’t be the first time in Westminister’s history that it happened. Chaffin said he believes extreme animal-rights activists took matters into their hands.
