Controlling our weight is hard. What we eat, when we eat, and how much we exercise are at the forefront of our minds when we decide we need to lose a few ponds. There are many options to aid us in achieving our goals from gym memberships, to personal trainers, nutrition experts, and diet foods. However, our busy lives and lack of money can impede us from sticking to any plan. So, if it is this hard for us to lose weight with all our options, it makes sense that it is even harder for our pets. According to a recent survey, more than half of our beloved cats and dogs are overweight.

The media and certain campaigns focus on raising awareness about the risks of being overweight for humans. Well, our risks are a lot like those our pets are exposed to if they are overweight. These include breathing problems, type two diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and kidney disease. And if your pet is sick, your wallet is surely going to cry. Vet bills are astronomical and very few pet owners have any type of medical insurance for their animals. Only two pounds overweight for cats can cause complications, and only 5 pounds for dogs.  Pets might be cute and fluffy when a bit overweight but if their weight is endangering their lives, shouldn’t you help the stay healthy and happy?