Crufts winner Knopa could be STRIPPED OF HIS TITLE – because his owner picked him up by the TAIL

More than 100,000 people have signed a petition to get the winner of Crufts 2015, Scottish terrier Knopa, stripped of his title – and all because his owner picked him up weirdly.

Right now, 106,000 people have added their signature to an online petition calling on the Kennel Club, which organises the annual show, to take Knopa’s owner’s prestigious win away from her.

Rebecca Cross was accused of animal cruelty when she was spotted during Sunday night’s final picking up the dog by his tail and neck – and the Kennel Club said it had already warned her against handling Knopa in that way.

She apologised after winning Best In Show 2015 by saying she “didn’t do it on purpose, it was just habit”.

“It's just one of those things. It happened and I tried to really think about it and not do it, but it's habit,” she added.

A spokesperson for the KC said: “We completely understand the concerns about how Knopa, the Best In Show dog, was handled on the judging table.

“A decision will be made by committee about what action may be taken within the current rules and guidance,” the rep continued, adding that an investigation is now underway.

This year’s Crufts has been hit with more problems than usual, with one dog – an Irish Setter named Jagger – allegedly poisoned at the show, and another owner being investigated by the RSPCA for allegedly beating his pet outside the Crufts venue.