Companion Animals

Companion Animal Obesity Welfare Crisis

Companion animal obesity is a welfare epidemic reducing quality of life, increasing disease burden and shortening lifespan in dogs and cats.

Key Facts

An estimated 50-60% of UK dogs and cats are overweight or obese
Obesity causes arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and reduced life expectancy
Many owners fail to recognise overweight body condition in their own pets
Veterinary nutritional counselling is effective but underutilised
Treat-giving is a significant contributor and linked to owner attachment behaviours

Welfare Considerations

Companion animal obesity is largely human-caused welfare harm, with owners systematically overfeeding due to misunderstanding body condition and conflating food with affection. The welfare consequences are severe and prolonged. Normalising healthy body condition through education and veterinary support is the priority intervention.

What You Can Do

Learn to body condition score your pet accurately
Discuss feeding amounts with your vet based on individual caloric needs
Replace some treat giving with play and enrichment activities