Diva is set to star at Crufts show

Mar 7 2008 by Jessica Flynn, South Wales Echo

BARRIE James and his dog Diva will be showing what they can do in the Crufts arena this weekend.

The duo have been invited as representatives of the Dogs’ Trust in Bridgend, and will be competing in the Rescue Agility category, where they will be showcasing the skills of abandoned dogs.

Barrie, who works for Veolia Water, has been training rescue dogs for more than 15 years. He has competed with other dogs at Crufts but is particularly excited to be going with Diva. The partnership has already won the 2007 Dog Agility Rescue League.

“She is still so young that it will be a great experience for her,” said Barrie. “I feel really strongly about showcasing rescue dogs.

“So often people only want pedigree dogs and then wonderful dogs like Diva are abandoned. This is a great opportunity to show people what they are missing.”

Crufts takes place in the Birmingham NEC until Sunday. The Rescue Agility category takes place in the main arena at 11.55am on Sunday.