PDSA and Royal Canin are calling on pet owners in the south west to take advantage of a free weight check for their four-legged friend by signing up to the new ‘Big Weigh In’ initiative.
The partnership launched the first Weigh Up campaign in 2021, offering pet owners free online resources to assess and understand their pets’ weight throughout the pandemic.
The latest PDSA Big Weigh In initiative has been taking place during February and March, in conjunction with veterinary practices across the UK to help tackle the pet obesity crisis the UK pet population faces.
In 2022, the charity’s annual PAW (PDSA Animal Wellbeing) Report revealed 60% of owners regularly give their pet human food in some form, such as leftovers (26%), cheese (22%) and bread or toast (10%).
Human food is often high in fats and sugar, and can contribute to obesity and weight problems as well as potentially leading to an unbalanced diet for our pets.
As per PDSA calculations, feeding a dog a slice of toast with butter, is the equivalent of a human eating two portions of fries. Similarly, feeding a cat three small cubes of cheese, is the equivalent of a human eating two quarter pounders
One weight loss success story involves Roscoe, who initially came into PDSA’s care weighing 75kg and after a tremendous effort from his owner, Roscoe managed to shed 23kg and is very nearly at his ideal weight.
The excess weight was affecting Roscoe’s daily life through his breathing and energy levels, so losing the weight was vital for his health and happiness.
The main aim for the PDSA Big Weigh In is to help other pets like Roscoe live a better and hopefully longer life, by maintaining a healthy weight.
PDSA veterinary surgeon, Lynne James said: “Our Weigh Up campaign was popular amongst pet owners who were keen to understand more about their pet’s weight, in order to keep them fit and healthy.
“Now we are taking the next step and launching PDSA Big Weigh In – where we are inviting owners to join in and visit a participating practice for a free weight check.
“We have also launched the PDSA #WeighUp Pet Weight Loss Support Group, for fellow pet owners to join, share their progress and access exclusive tips and content, including weekly Q&A’s with PDSA vets and vet nurses, all to help with their weight loss journey.”