Pets at Home launches ‘Five Minutes More’ campaign

Pets at Home has announced the launch of its Five Minutes More campaign to encourage pet owners across the UK to avoid cutting short the dog walk this winter.

This comes after research from the company found that there were more than one million overweight dogs in the UK.

The research also found that almost a third of dog owners surveyed reduce the amount of time they spend walking their pet

Furthermore, 28% said they take their dog for a walk on the pavement rather than let it run around a park or field in the winter.

Just over a fifth of owners take their dog on fewer walks, 13% put their dog in the garden instead of taking it for a walk and 11% use the weather as an excuse to not take their dog for a walk.

Pets at Home has launched the campaign with the support of Clare Balding.

Balding said: “Shorter days and wetter weather may make the daily dog walk less appealing, but no less important. As a dog owner you will do anything and everything to look after their welfare and that includes helping them stay a healthy weight. That’s why this winter we are calling on dog owners to get out there come rain or shine to keep their dog active.”

Dr. Leigh-Anne Brown, practice owner and veterinary surgeon at Vets for Pets added: “The problem of overweight dogs in the UK continues to rise. Latest research from our veterinary practices2 shows in the last 12 months, 30% of dogs seen were classified as overweight and that number could be significantly more, as not all dogs are seen regularly by their vet.

“People may not realise, but if a dog is overweight it can contribute to serious health conditions such as diabetes, arthritis and heart problems. However, you cannot underestimate the benefits of the daily walk. It’s the simplest yet most important thing you can do to safeguard your dog’s health which is why we want to remind people this winter to keep walking, whatever the weather, to help keep their dog active. It may seem a small thing, but if every dog owner increased their dog walk by just five minutes that will have a huge impact on your dog’s overall activity levels over the course of the winter months.”