Pet obesity

Policy: PAC believes that modern well formulated diets have made a positive impact on the health and welfare of pets. However, recent statistics indicate one in three household pets is now overweight. The problem comes in the main from owners feeding too many human food treats and a lack of exercise. Furthermore many owners have no idea what is the right body condition for their pets. PAC believes owners need to be educated about the correct size of the animals in their care, along with providing tools to help them feed the right amount, as well as encouragement for them to get active with their pets. The benefits of the latter for helping tackle the massive human obesity problem cannot be underestimated.

Background: Recent research has revealed that eight out of 10 dog, cat and rabbit owners are unable to judge the correct weight of their pet. Furthermore nine out of 10 pet owners are not that concerned about their pet’s weight. Most revealing was pet owners’ fundamental misunderstanding about how to manage their pet’s weight. Two thirds of pet owners believe they can personally either do nothing, or a little about their pet’s weight.

The key to preventing obesity in pets is educating owners about the correct body condition of their pets. The nutritional needs of your pet are dependent on a number of factors related to its life stage (e.g. puppy/kitten, adult or senior) and lifestyle (e.g. an outdoor/indoor cat, active dog etc).   The feeding guidelines are there to help owners assess how much to feed. However, it is important to recognise that each pet is an individual and the amount you need to feed will vary.  Owners should feed the recommended amount on the packet, monitor their pet’s weight and adjust the amounts fed accordingly. A local pet care professional and pet food manufacturer can give advice on feeding.