Obesity affects over half of companion dogs and cats in developed countries, causing chronic pain, reduced lifespan, and quality of life impacts that represent a significant and preventable welfare problem.
Companion animal obesity represents a welfare epidemic driven by well-intentioned overfeeding and insufficient exercise — a form of harm caused by love without knowledge. The consequences for affected animals are serious: chronic joint pain, metabolic disease, reduced activity, and years of compromised quality of life. The normalization of overweight animals as healthy has made owner recognition of the problem more difficult. Veterinary education, honest conversations about body condition at every wellness visit, and accessible weight management support are essential components of addressing this widespread welfare issue. Preventing obesity through appropriate feeding from the start is far easier than achieving weight loss in established obese animals.