Scottie Wins Westminster after PETA Protest: BIG PICS

Feb. 17, 2010 -- Sadie the Scottie was fully expected to reach the purple podium at America's top dog show. She did, after two intruders turned the center ring at Westminster into their own platform.

The heavily favored Scottish terrier won best in show Tuesday night and seemed to be an easy choice. Her team waited quite a while for this victory -- it took a little longer, too, because of a startling protest inspired by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Shortly before judge Elliott Weiss picked Sadie, a pair of well-dressed women walked into the big ring at Madison Square Garden and held signs over their heads that said "Mutts Rule" and "Breeders Kill Shelter Dogs' Chances," the latter a slogan popularized by PETA.

WATCH VIDEO: Why does a dog chase its tail? Do dogs think like we do? Discovery News answers these canine questions and more.

Story continues below...

The crowd of 15,000 gasped at the sudden protest, booed the women and then cheered as a half-dozen security guards ushered them away without incident.

PETA members Dana Sylvester and Hope Round were charged with criminal trespass, police said. They acted on their own, the organization said, but it supported them.

The interruption lasted about a minute and came between judging of a Doberman pinscher and brittany. Moments later, 4-year-old Sadie climbed the best in show podium where one of the women had stood.

There have been previous PETA protests at Westminster, but none nearly so dramatic. During every day of the show, the public-address announcer at the Garden reads an announcement urging people to visit shelters and adopt their dogs.

PETA contends the focus on purebreds leaves many mutts homeless. In a statement, vice president Daphna Nachminovitch said "euthanasia becomes a sad necessity."

After earning her 112th best in show ribbon, Sadie became the eighth Scottie to win at Westminster, second most to the 13 wins by wire fox terriers out of the 2,500 canines who compete each year. She also became the first Triple Crown winner of dogdom. She took the National Dog Show in suburban Philadelphia in November and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in California in December.

Source: Ben Walker, Associated Press

Photo credits: David Goldman, Henny Ray Abrams/Associated Press