A recent study found that a whopping 54 per cent of America’s pets are overweight or obese. That translates into some pretty scary numbers: 88.4 million cats and dogs need to get healthy — stat.
Even more disconcerting than the numbers themselves, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), is the fact that pet owners don’t recognize these serious weight issues. Fifteen per cent of cat owners and 22 per cent of dog owners said their plump pets were “normal weight.” APOP founder Dr. Ernie Ward explained, “In simplest terms, we’ve made fat pets the new normal.”
Despite the findings, the survey also noted that 93 per cent of pet owners said they realize animal obesity is a problem. So what can they do to help?
(Photo: Thinkstock)
2. Give Love, Not Grub
Pet your dog when he begs for food. Ward says many dogs really want attention, so “flip the equation.”
(Photo: Thinkstock)