About 80 million U.S. households have at least one pet, mine included.
Whether you’ve had a pet for 12 years or 12 weeks, like me, there are two things I think most pet parents can agree on. First, we love our fur babies dearly. Second, they can require a lot of care.
If you have one of the U.S.’s nearly 164 million pet dogs and cats, you’re likely used to making sure they get the food, exercise and fun needed for a happy life.
Pack on a few extra pounds over the winter? Chances are Fido did, too.
More than half of all dogs and cats in the United States are overweight, according to a recent survey by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). Even more alarming, 28 percent of cats and 18 percent of dogs are now classified as clinically obese, meaning they are at least 30 percent above ideal weight.
This obesity epidemic is keeping our furry, four-legged friends from living longer, healthier, better lives.