Don’t sit, don’t stay, do a lot more walkies

Rise in the number of obese dogs at rescue home

IT seems man’s best friend will need to start counting calories after a growing number of dogs are reported to suffer from obesity.

Dogs Trust West London in Harefield reported nearly one in four of the four-legged friends to walk through its doors in Uxbridge are classed as overweight.

In one case it took four people to lift seven-yearold Connor who tipped the scales at a staggering 51.6kg. The flat-coated retriever was being moved from his former home into a van to take him to the animal shelter.

Experts at the charity suspect the issue stems from the fast-paced lifestyle of guilt-ridden owners who are not able to take their dog out for a long walk but just a quick walk around the block.

In a bizarre twist the lack of exercise is substituted by offering their dog a treat -a standard chewy bone contains around 600 calories - which turns into an unhealthy calorific cycle.

In another case, earlier this year, Suzi a sevenmonth-old pug was 7kg when she was handed into the animal rehoming centre.

Through a healthier diet and exercise regime she has lost 0.5kg and is working towards the average weight of a female pug which is under 6kg.

Richard Moore, rehoming centre manager at Dogs Trust Harefield, has been working in animal welfare for more than 20 years.

He said: “I have certainly seen an increase over time of overweight dogs - we take in around 20 dogs a week and around 1 in 4 of these is overweight.

“It used to be that dogs coming to us were underweight but overweight dogs are coming through our doors more often now.

“We suspect people do not have time to give their dogs the exercise they once were able to.

“Everyone has a fastpaced lifestyle and a quick walk around the block is an easier option than the longer walk a dog often needs.

“It is all about diet and exercise.

“Getting out on longer walks can also help the owners become healthier too. It’s just about getting the right balance for a happy animal.”

Dog owners concerned about their dog’s health should seek advice from a vet.

n MORE WALKIES S REQUIRED: Seven-year-old Connor (inset) on the he lead and (right) with h staff at the Dogs Trust Harefield – hee weighed more than eight stone when he e arrived at the centre e

n WAKE UP SUZI: This seven-month-old pug already weighed more than a stone when she was taken in to the Dogs Trust Harefield