BBC suspends coverage of Crufts dog show after four decades

The BBC will not be showing the Crufts dog show next year for the first time in 40 years as it awaits the results of further investigations into the the health of pedigree dogs in the UK.

Today's decision follows the BBC1 documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, shown in August, which claimed that intensive breeding of pedigree dogs had led to health problems in some breeds.

The BBC then set up an independent panel of experts to investigate whether it was appropriate for it to continue as the host broadcaster for the famous dog show.

Today the corporation said it was "not able to reach agreement [with the Kennel Club] about how to handle televising the so-called 'at-risk' breeds of pedigree dog" and therefore decided to suspend coverage of next year's event.

"We know that a lot of people will be disappointed that Crufts will not be on the BBC next year, said the controller of BBC Knowledge commissioning, George Entwistle.

"But we need to be confident the measures being taken now and planned for the future are effective in addressing the issues raised about the health of some pedigree dogs before we return to broadcasting the event."

The Kennel Club, which organises Crufts, said it has made changes to breed standards that will take effect in 2009 and continues to hold discussions with the BBC to monitor the effect of the changes.

In a strongly-worded statement today, the club said it had "refused to comply with the unreasonable demand insisted on by the BBC to exclude certain breeds of dog from the competition".

The BBC had asked that the 12 types of dog identified as "at risk" out of the total 209 registered UK breeds be excluded from the two categories that are broadcast in its Crufts coverage - the group competition and best in show. However, the Kennel Club refused.

"We are unable to agree to these demands, as it would compromise both contractual obligations and our general responsibility to dog exhibitors and our audience," said the Kennel Club chairman, Ronnie Irving.

"We believe it would be inappropriate and counterproductive to exclude any recognised breed from Crufts.

"We are obviously disappointed and confused with this outcome as we hoped the broadcast would have supported our focus on health and welfare issues, given advice about caring for and training dogs and showcased the charitable work that we support."

In September the Kennel Club formally logged a complaint with Ofcom over the documentary's "unfair treatment and editing and failure to fairly and properly reflect the Kennel Club's deep commitment to the health and welfare of dogs and responsible dog ownership".

The club introduced an ethics code for breeders in October and has also started an education scheme for judges.

Since the dispute with the BBC flared up, the Kennel Club has reportedly tried to offer the show, which pulls an average 3 million viewers for each of the four shows during the annual championship on BBC2, to ITV and Sky without success. The BBC has broadcast Crufts every year since 1966.

In September both the RSPCA and Dogs Trust said they were boycotting the show and the following month the pet food brand, Pedigree, pulled its Crufts sponsorship worth £500,000 a year.

Pedigree Dogs Exposed focused on the alleged congenital defects suffered by some breeds, including a King Charles spaniel with the neurological condition syringomyelia that occurs when a skull is too small for an animal's brain.

The BBC1 documentary also featured boxer dogs with epilepsy, pugs with breathing problems and bulldogs that could not mate or give birth naturally.

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