by Leigh Goessl

Created on: March 06, 2013

A dog died shortly after the Westminster Kennel Club Show in February. The dog's owners believe that their 3-year-old Samoyed was possibly poisoned. The dog, named Cruz, died four days after the Feb. 16, 2013 show.

Cruz had been at a different competition, the 18th Annual Rocky Mountain Cluster Dog Show, in Denver when he fell ill, reported ABC News.  He began vomiting blood and was rushed to see the veterinarian; Cruz later died from internal hemorrhaging.

Medical experts say this aligns with rat poisoning.

According to ABC Channel 15 News, Lynette Blue, co-owner of Cruz, has spoken out. Both she and the dog's handler, who is not suspected of harming the dog, think the dog was possibly poisoned intentionally.

According to Blue, the veterinarian that cared for Cruz after he became ill said the dog may have consumed a "lethal dose" of poison.  Blue suspects animal rights extremists protesting the Westminster show may be responsible. Allegedly one approached the handler at the Westminster show.

"That's always the possibility it could've been somebody like that ..or some deranged wacko that likes to see things hurt," said Blue. "The timeline adds up. There's no other scenario we can come up with other than poison."

No one can figure out where it could have happened though. All hotels have indicated they do not use rat poisoning and the dog was never alone.  The owner says the handler was with the dog at all times during the show, except for one period of time when the dogs are expected to stay in an assigned area.

The ABC report talked to an expert who indicating it may not have been poisoning.

"Two of the things that will cause bleeding in the abdomen are cancer and rat poisoning and people often attribute it to poisoning as opposed to cancer," Dr. Tony Johnson, a clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, said. "We see a lot of dogs that have bleeding in their abdomen due to cancer so that is a possibility."

There is no proof that Cruz was poisoned and chances are no one will ever know what killed him. Blue tearfully told the media she does hope to get answers someday.

This year was Cruz's first Westminster show.  He was cremated and a necropsy was not performed.  

ABC provided a statement from Westminster, which says the organization is "ultra cautious" with the dogs and that no dogs are left unattended.

Learn more about this author, Leigh Goessl.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.