Show Notes
In this episode Kerry gets wind that Jagger could have been collateral for a much bigger cause – animal rights activism. She looks into the PETA protests at Crufts in 2015, and the arguments against dog shows. “A dog is better off dead than in a crate.”
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In a last attempt to get some more answers, Kerry tries to reach out to Jagger’s family. Returning to Crufts 2022 she ponders on the lasting impact of his death on the dog show world. The poisons have led us down a path of a much bigger story and an understanding of the animal hierarchy that us humans hold up. Why are some animals fair game for poison, yet when it happens to others, its national news? Why has this world been so hard to penetrate and why won’t people speak?
Kerry is shocked to discover that Jagger was killed by a cocktail of illegal pesticides. The toxicologist in Ghent reveals how this same poison is used to protect multi-million-dollar racing pigeons from birds of prey. The head of the RSPB reveals how in the UK this poison is being illegally used by game keepers in the UK too. Jagger is not the first dog to have been killed by poison bait. Chloe Ambler’s two dogs both consumed what is known as ‘the Nidderdale cocktail’ due to its prevalence. This was no accident. A human had sewn it into meat. For a dog. But was Jagger the dog in the killer’s sights?
Kerry gets news of more attacks on dogs, poisoned sausages and marshmallows – is this an organised attack or does this all feel a bit random? The case of Hendrix the Cat raises new questions about our relationship to animals. Why do people kill animals? How does it feel to have your pet, a member of your family, brutally slain? Is this a potential serial killer on the loose? A forensic psychologist explains. The toxicology results come in. Jagger was killed by an illegal nerve agent: the animal equivalent of Novichock...
Kerry discovers the world of breeding dogs, the art of pedigree dog naming and the money exchanged for specific dogs. She goes on to look at the relationships within the (Irish) Setter world and the international semen trade. Rhodesian Ridgeback breeder Dorothy tells the story of her prize stud dog, who was shot to death next to a children’s playground in Belgium. Is Europe where Kerry should head next?
Means, Motive, Opportunity. Kerry applies the principles of human homicide investigation to this four-legged mystery. She considers the line-up of suspects and asks Cui Bono? (To Whom Is It A Benefit?) Enlisting the help of a professional Pet Detective, Kerry speaks to people who were there at Crufts and digs deep into the motivation of who might want Jagger eliminated. She considers the rivalries and rewards of winning Crufts. Fame, film, dog-modelling plus the real money in winning is that it increases the dog’s value as a breeder.