Anyone who's had even a short, casual conversation with me probably knows my feelings about tubby pets: I like 'em best. Still, it got me worrying a little bit when every article I saw about huge rabbits mentioned that the Guinness Book of World Records was no longer accepting entries for largest animal in order to prevent people from deliberately overfeeding their pets. What on earth is going on here?
Now Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is saying that pet obesity is reaching dangerous levels, according to this BBC article. As part of RSPCA Week, the organization has released a leaflet explaining the dangers of overfeeding, which include arthritis, high blood pressure, poor liver function and diabetes.
In one case, a dog was so heavy it could not move after being fed on a diet including full English breakfasts. The dog had to be carried to the vet by the RSPCA on a makeshift stretcher. Its owner was banned from keeping pets for life.
Good grief. What does it say about Western civilization that even our pets are becoming morbidly obese? What new depths of decadence have we reached that our pets are so glutted while much of the world is devastated by famine?
An article by Justine Hankins in the Guardian links pet obesity to the eating habits of owners. Animals are "not susceptible to junk food advertising, and McDonald's has yet to start hosting pet birthday parties," Hankins points out, contrasting this with the difficulty of combating poor eating habits in children. So why are there so many fat pets? "Because pets eat from the hand that feeds them and their owners can't seem to resist sharing their own girth-spilling appetites with their best friends," Hankins says.
On the other hand, with the alarm over obesity being such a heavily hyped news topic, I can't help but wonder if this is just another attempt to extend the brand. The BBC article mentions that more than three quarters of vets in Britain have set up "fat clinics." Can high-end diet spas for pets be on the way? Actually, they're probably already here, if this is any indication.
In the meantime, here's a video of a fat cat waddling around the house.
