Obese Companion Animals

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) released a new study that found that, similar to their human guardians, more than half of US cats and dogs are overweight, and one-fifth are obese. According to The Wall Street Journal, guardians who overfeed their companion animals and don’t exercise them frequently are partly responsible. Food manufacturers also play a roll, as they are not required to include calorie labels on food products for animals. Overweight animals suffer from a variety of health issues, including kidney failure, diabetes, and cancer. Last year alone, one insurance company spent $25 million to treat obesity-related conditions for the animals they insure.