I'm increasing security around Larry the Downing Street cat, Cameron jokes in wake of 'murder at Crufts'

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David Cameron today joked he had doubled the security around Larry the Downing Street cat after the 'murder' of a dog at Crufts.

The Prime Minister attacked the 'unbelievable awful' killing of the award-winning Irish setter Jagger, who was killed by poisoned meat allegedly fed to him at the dog show.

He said he could not understand how anyone could poison a family dog and quipped that he would ramp up security around Number 10's resident cat.

Prime Minister David Cameron today joked he had doubled the security around Larry the Downing Street

Mr Cameron, speaking to Heart radio, insisted he was not overly concerned about the safety of Larry.

He said: 'He doesn't get up and get out much. I think he's probably pretty safe sitting on the chair of the hallway watching the world go by.'

But he added: 'I'll double the security around him and make sure he's okay.'

Mr Cameron's remarks come after the grief-stricken owners of Jagger said his death had left their nine-year-old son devastated, as they shared a series of heart-breaking photographs of the dog.

The PM said: 'I can understand as a dog and cat lover myself, my heart goes out to a family who sees that happen.

'I remember listening to the owner on the radio talking about the toxicology report and how they had found lumps of meat which had poison in, you think who would go to such a length, who would do that? It's an unbelievably awful thing to do.'

The Prime Minister attacked the 'unbelievable awful' killing of the award-winning Irish setter Jagger

Irish setter Jagger died 24 hours after returning from Crufts, the world's most prestigious dog show.

A second dog is reported to have died after appearing at Crufts, amid fears that at least six of the animals were deliberately poisoned at the world famous show.

The shih tzu is believed to have died over the weekend, just hours after the 'murder' of Irish setter Jagger. The three-year-old died on Friday after eating meat which his owners say was laced with poison.

Today, Jagger's bereft co-owners are preparing to cremate the prize-winning dog at his rural home in Belgium, before scattering his ashes across a field where he used to love walking.

It comes as the show's organisers, the Kennel Club, warned that anyone found putting the dogs' lives at risk could be prosecuted - a crime which can lead to 51 weeks in jail or a £20,000 fine.

Jagger's Belgian owner Aleksandra Lauwers said she will join her husband and 'devastated' son, Jeremy, today in scattering the ashes of her second 'beautiful child.'

Jagger (pictured) is one of six dogs who are believed to have been poisoned at the world-famous show

Jagger's owners are convinced the dog was the victim of meat poisoning. Pictured: Jeremy, now nine, runs Jagger round a competition field

Mrs Lauwers shook with emotion yesterday as she told the Mail 'To the person who has done this I would say: I hope you can sleep well knowing you have killed my beautiful child.

'He was our love, our family member and the very best friend to our son. We are still in a state of shock.

'My son is devastated. He does not know how somebody could be so cruel and do this to an innocent and helpless animal. Why would anyone want to cause Jagger such a slow and painful death?'

She realised something was very wrong when Jagger's jaw dropped and he started to tremble after they returned from Crufts to their large detached family home in the quiet village of Lauw in east Belgium on Friday evening.

Just 24 hours after Jagger and death a vet found cubes of meat laced with a slow-acting toxin in his stomach and the family contacted local police.

Toxology tests will be completed by the end of the week which should determine the cause of death, amid suggestions they could be rat poison or slug repellents. Before then Jagger will be cremated.