NEW YORK — The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has been postponed amid the surge of COVID-19 cases New York City is experiencing due to the omicron variant.

The beloved dog show, which was set to return to Madison Square Garden next month, will be held at "a later date" in 2022, the Westminster Kennel Club said in a press release. 

“The health and safety of all participants in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show are paramount,” the release said. “We appreciate the community’s continued interest and support as we delay the show to a time when we can safely convene.” 

This will be the second year in a row that the show has been postponed. This past year, it was moved to June and held outside in Tarrytown without spectators.