The Chubby Pet Index ... Ouch!

It’s a very sad state of affairs, when pet owners are confronted by the fact that more than 54 per cent of American’s pet population is over weight and that there’s such a thing as a Chubby Pet Index. What does that say about us as pet owners? 

Recently Hill's Pet Nutrition, partnered with a research company to better understand the cities where pets are in the most need of help.  Subsequently they have launched a program called the Million Dollar Pledge -- a national call-to-action for pet owners to help their cats and dogs lose weight and get back on track to living a happy, healthy lifestyle offering advice hips about healthier eating and also offering rebates on special diet foods. 

Here are some of the starting facts that the survey revealed. When it comes to the chubbiest pet city, Los Angeles ranks number one, according to the Chubby Pet Index. Rounding out the top five cities are Washington DC, Chicago, Minneapolis and San Francisco.  There’s a full list of the top 20 cities on PetFit.com. 

Here are some of the other startling facts from the survey.

Only about half (49 percent) of dog and cat owners are engaging their animals in exercise at least once a day. A brisk walk in the park with your dog or shining a flashlight on the floor or wall to encourage your cat to play for just 10 minutes a day can make a big difference to their health.

Nearly three in five (61 percent) pet owners say their pet currently or in the past has needed to lose weight, and decreasing the amount of food (44 percent) is the most popular method they use to help their pets lose weight. However, when it comes to feeding your pet, consider switching to a pet food that provides precisely balanced nutrition to help pet's achieve and maintain their ideal weight like Science Diet® Light.

Nearly half of pet owners (45 percent) give their cats and dogs pet treats at least once a day – treats between meals can help contribute to the extra one or two pounds that your pet may be holding onto so be sure to account for them during meal time. And you can always swap out some treats with verbal and physical praise to keep pets happy and feeling loved.

Free feeding is common for many pet owners (42 percent), but what they may not realize is that this is also a fast way to derail their pet's weight management plan. Creating a feeding schedule is a more viable option to keep dogs and cats at a healthier weight.