27 May 2022
Veterinary charity and nutrition company have joined forces for an educational campaign to act on the “paw-demic” of obesity.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Veterinary charity PDSA and nutrition company Royal Canin have teamed up for an educational campaign against what they call the “paw-demic” of obesity in pets.
The #WeighUp campaign to increase education on pet obesity follows on from research in PDSA’s 2021 PAW Report, which revealed 1.4 million cats and dogs piled on the pounds from the start of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Royal Canin has worked with PDSA to create educational materials that can empower owners to ensure kittens and puppies live happy, healthy lives and for longer.
PDSA vet nurse Nina Downing said: “Worryingly, the detrimental health effects of obesity in our four-legged family members don’t appear to be well-recognised among owners. Nearly a third (31%) don’t agree that podgy pets are more likely to suffer from serious diseases, and 35% don’t agree that they are tragically less likely to live as long.
“However, we’re excited to launch this campaign together with Royal Canin, creating a useful, free guide to help owners support their puppies and kittens to have the best start in life, along with advice on keeping them in shape as they grow.”
Clare Hemmings, scientific communications manager at Royal Canin, said: “During growth, pets create and lay down fat cells, then, during adulthood, these fat cells expand if the pet is overfed.
“The more fat cells they produce during growth, the higher the chance they will become overweight in adulthood. What’s even more worrying is that even if a pet goes on a diet and loses weight, those fat cells never disappear, but simply empty and wait to fill up again. Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight during their growth period is the key to a healthy weight as an adult.”
Full details on the #WeighUp campaign are available online.
