Bulky Birmingham dog is one of the early entrants in PDSA Pet Fit Club

04 February 2020

A cheese-loving Jack Russell is going on a diet after ballooning in weight.

Mandy Hannigan, four-year-old Skylar’s owner, admits to spoiling her beloved pooch with her favourite foods – including sausages, ham, cheese and crisps! Her unhealthy diet and big portions have led her to hitting a whopping 11.5kg (22 lb), over DOUBLE (109%) her ideal weight, 5.5kg (11lbs).

Discussing her rescue dog, Mandy (59) from Solihull said: “Skylar eats absolutely everything, and it’s very difficult to say no when she gives you those puppy-dog eyes. I’m guilty of feeding her human foods, especially her favourite snacks like Doritos and Quavers - she loves them.

“Every morning she’ll eat the crusts of my toast and, when I’m eating my dinner she sits there waiting for half of whatever I’m eating.

“We have another dog named Dodger at home, who Skylar is very close to, but her huge appetite means she often eats whatever is left of his too. It’s really hard to monitor.”

PDSA Vet Nurse, Nina Downing, said: “Our pets aren’t that different to us when it comes to liking junk food. It’s usually high in calories, salt, sugar and fat which makes it taste so good, and while it can be tempting to give our much-loved animals human food as treats, they are usually highly calorific and if they’re eaten too frequently can lead to dangerous health problems for our four-legged friends. To a medium-sized dog, eating three cubes of cheese is like a person eating two chocolate bars.”

Following advice from PDSA vets, Skylar is now on the path to a healthier future. To help get her podgy pooch in shape, Mandy has entered her into PDSA’s Pet Fit Club competition – a six month diet and exercise challenge.

“I want to help her lose weight for the sake of her health and happiness, so I’ve entered Skylar into Pet Fit Club and we are hoping to be selected as one of the lucky competitors.”

The vet charity is appealing for the UK’s fattest pets to enrol in the contest. The call comes as stats reveal up to half of UK pets are believed to be overweight or obese.