Combating Obesity in Pets

Veterinarians in England are concerned about the rise in pet obesity in the country. 5.5 million dogs and cats are overweight. To help these unfortunate animals lose weight, the People's Veterinary Society (PDSA) created the Pet Fit Club ten years ago. Learn more about how the UK is tackling pet obesity.

Content

1 Fitness for the full mustache from PDSA
2 Who has already benefited from Pet Fit Club?

Fitness for the full mustache from PDSA

Often, careless owners feed their pets chips, cheese, sweets, and chocolate. According to the PDSA, eating such food leads to obesity and can cause cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.

"Fast food containing fat and sugar has a negative impact on the figure of whiskers," says laboratory veterinarian Vicky Larham-Jones.

PDSA is holding a pet weight loss competition. Twelve dogs and cats will exercise for six months under the guidance of Pet Fit Club specialists. The special program includes a strict diet. Lucy the cat is among the participants. She is overweight, and her owner previously thought she was pregnant. Each animal will be monitored by a veterinarian.

Who has already benefited from Pet Fit Club?

The center's staff has helped many furry creatures lose weight. Here are their stories.

Boyke

The adorable cat was taken from his owner. At the center, he had lost 6.8% of his body weight and weighed approximately 6 kg.

Jack

Jack started out weighing 20 kg. After six months of training, he lost six kilograms. His waist shrank by 20 cm.

Bobby

Bobby used to love picnics and often stole food from neighbors. His greed led to obesity.

He weighed 63 kg. But fortunately, that's in the past. Thanks to regular exercise, he lost 10 kg.

Kayla

Mastiff Kayla weighed 61 kg. Her owner, Agnes Higgins, was treating her to pizza. However, she realized she had overfed her pet. She contacted Pet Fit Club, where Kayla lost 17 kg.

Daisy

Daisy the bulldog is a real lazybones. So the vets rewarded her with treats. Their efforts paid off. The beauty lost 8 kilograms and was awarded the title of "Slim Dog of the Year."

Bean

Fighting Obesity with Bob the Dog

Bob was found in Romania, where he was living on the streets. In England, the beagle was initially fed fast food. He gained 40 kg and couldn't even wag his tail. His new owner, Kat, enrolled him in a weight-loss center. He's now in good shape.

Gemma

Gem gained weight four years ago while her owner, Kara, was babysitting children. The little dog loved fried meat. Relatives began hinting to the young mother that the dog was overweight. Kara then took her to the veterinarian. The woman was unpleasantly surprised by her pet's weight. After training, Gem lost weight and now weighs about 10 kg.