Hotwyr Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/is-sampson-the-labrador-australias-most-obese-pet/story-e6frg12c-1226079900140 "SAMPSON the larger-than-life labrador could be Australia's most obese pet. At 85kg, he is a staggering 42kg over his ideal weight. The dog is so fat and so unfit that staff at the Animal Aid shelter in Coldstream say it will take him until Christmas to shed half his massive frame. Sampson is at the forefront of Australia's epidemic of overweight pets. He is too fat to be exercised. His bulging, blood-shot eyes are the result of fatty tissue around his head and high blood pressure. He has to be taken to the shelter in the Animal Aid van for his weekly weigh-in because he can't comfortably fit on the back seat of vet Amber Lavery's family sedan. She has taken Sampson in until he sheds at least half his weight, when he will be put up for adoption. He's the size of a small heifer," said Ms Lavery, who works for Animal Aid. "It's obvious to get a case of such extreme obesity, Sampson has been fed excessive quantities of the wrong types of food over a very extended period of time. "His former owners obviously couldn't resist his big brown eyes that follow you around saying 'Feed me'." It is believed Sampson enjoyed regular feasts of fast foods and other fatty treats - food normally consumed by humans as occasional meals. He is struggling to adjust from a life of gorging to a meagre meal of a little more than three cups of dry dog biscuits and water. "Tough love means saying no," Ms Lavery said. "He has a very keen appetite and shows a willingness to do anything he can to get food, any way he can." Animal lovers can contribute to Sampson's expensive diet food at animalaid.com.au." Someone needs to be made accountable for this abuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Bloody hell that's disgusting. Poor dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogfan Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 That's just wrong! Poor dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9angel Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 OMG that is awful. Poor boy. How sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxonsmum Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 my god, how can the owner let a pet get like that! i cant understand! no way .... what didnt they exercise him everyday? sorry im just a little angry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 That's just cruelty The poor dog will be going through massive withdrawals from all the junk food too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 my god, how can the owner let a pet get like that! i cant understand! no way .... what didnt they exercise him everyday? sorry im just a little angry! What's worrying is there is nothing stopping these people from getting another dog and treating it the same way. To my mind it is just as bad as starving a dog to over feed it to that extent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezzyno.1 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 that is just sooo sad how anyone could do that to an animal.....it also makes me wonder what do they feed their kids? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 (edited) Should also consider the genetic factor. Labs are obesity-prone. To me this is a genetic defect, as much as tendency to OCD or HD. Could easily owe to breed history. Labradors are bred from land race that served many functions in the cold coastal regions of Newfoundland and Labrador [Canada]. These dogs were a bit like marine mammals in that they had to face the metabolic challenges of swimming in cold water, and spending a lot of time in freezing temperatures while wet. Evolution has found a good solution to this metabolic challenge . . .blubber. Ok, you can find lots of pictures of slim-and-trim 3 year old Labs doing agility or fetching game. Bfd. Find the same dogs at 10 years. I'll bet most of them aren't so svelt. And lots of Labs end out in family situations where there's some, but not lots, exercise. It's easy to blame the owner / puppy buyer. I think, for the long term good of the breed, Lab breeders need to recognize there's a genetic tendency to obesity, and to look for ways to correct this problem. Edited July 10, 2011 by sandgrubber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ark Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I do think they have a bit of a nerve asking for donations to help cover the cost of his "expensive" diet food when they have obviously been quite happy to squander their money on feeding him crap before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austerra Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I do think they have a bit of a nerve asking for donations to help cover the cost of his "expensive" diet food when they have obviously been quite happy to squander their money on feeding him crap before. He is not with his previous owners, he is at Vic Animal Aid at Coldstream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie P Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Poor thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 (edited) Should also consider the genetic factor. Labs are obesity-prone. To me this is a genetic defect, as much as tendency to OCD or HD. Could easily owe to breed history. Labradors are bred from land race that served many functions in the cold coastal regions of Newfoundland and Labrador [Canada]. These dogs were a bit like marine mammals in that they had to face the metabolic challenges of swimming in cold water, and spending a lot of time in freezing temperatures while wet. Evolution has found a good solution to this metabolic challenge . . .blubber. Ok, you can find lots of pictures of slim-and-trim 3 year old Labs doing agility or fetching game. Bfd. Find the same dogs at 10 years. I'll bet most of them aren't so svelt. And lots of Labs end out in family situations where there's some, but not lots, exercise. It's easy to blame the owner / puppy buyer. I think, for the long term good of the breed, Lab breeders need to recognize there's a genetic tendency to obesity, and to look for ways to correct this problem. Do you think? My lab, although admittedly young and extremely active, eats HEAPS of food and maintains a normal to lean body conditions. She is from guide dog lines though and I know they favour lighter build and leaner labs. The majority of fat and pudgy labs we see are only that way due to lack of adequate exercise. Mindy has several lab friends who are also in great shape, without a severe diet just plenty of exercise. Some of them are over 6 years old and one is 12 years old and still acts like a puppy. I think some labs certainly have a more solid build which can be mistaken for fatness and exaggerate weight gain. Don't want to turn this into a show vs working discussion but many working line labs have a much lighter build. I think the middle ground is probably the way to go, some of the WL labs I see are very lean and not typical lab looking (almost look like a cross with a GSP), and my own light build lab is often mistaken for a kelpie/lab, pointer/lab or a BC/lab cross Edited July 12, 2011 by aussielover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hortfurball Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Should also consider the genetic factor. Labs are obesity-prone. To me this is a genetic defect, as much as tendency to OCD or HD. Could easily owe to breed history. Labradors are bred from land race that served many functions in the cold coastal regions of Newfoundland and Labrador [Canada]. These dogs were a bit like marine mammals in that they had to face the metabolic challenges of swimming in cold water, and spending a lot of time in freezing temperatures while wet. Evolution has found a good solution to this metabolic challenge . . .blubber. Ok, you can find lots of pictures of slim-and-trim 3 year old Labs doing agility or fetching game. Bfd. Find the same dogs at 10 years. I'll bet most of them aren't so svelt. And lots of Labs end out in family situations where there's some, but not lots, exercise. It's easy to blame the owner / puppy buyer. I think, for the long term good of the breed, Lab breeders need to recognize there's a genetic tendency to obesity, and to look for ways to correct this problem. The best way to correct this problem is to observe your dog and reduce the amount of food if there are any signs of putting on weight, it's not rocket science. The fact that labs are prone to obesity merely means the owners have to be super vigilant and dedicated to the health and welfare of their dog, even more so as they age, and if they give them any treats, learn to reduce the dinner accordingly. There is no excuse for an obese dog and blaming genetics is a cop out. Sure, if breeders can address the tendency in labs to weight gain, that would be great, but a predisposition to weight gain doesn't excuse a single one of the owners walking around with grossly fat labs, or any other dog for that matter. The other way to address this is to teach people that human food is for humans and dog food is for dogs. I doubt Samson got that fat on dog food alone, no matter how much of it. Feeding your dog stuff that will make it so fat that it's health is affected is NOT showing love. Ella thinks all her christmasses have come at once if she gets some apple peel or the occasional raw egg, or a couple of dog treats outside of normal feeding time in a quick training session- none of which is going to create a weight issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Should be a cruelty case against the former owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shekhina Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Should also consider the genetic factor. Yes, but this is 42kg overweight, not 5-10kg. Genetic factor or not, this is absurd to have a dog be so overweight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dracdog Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Should also consider the genetic factor. To me that is just an excuse like a person saying it is not my fault I am fat it's genetic. I see it as shear lazieness. Both My parents were over weight but my brothers and I aren't. Both of them used that excuse but now after a diet change and plenty of exersize they are a healthy weigth and staying that way. Genetics may play a miniscule part but 99.99% of the time it is lifestyle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horse2008 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Not quite that small a percentage...I have an autosomal recessive problem that means my skin has lost it's elasticity. I have been pregnant, my skin didn't go back to normal, I've been scanned up and down, makes me feel like an elephant with so much floppy skin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Bait Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Not quite that small a percentage...I have an autosomal recessive problem that means my skin has lost it's elasticity. I have been pregnant, my skin didn't go back to normal, I've been scanned up and down, makes me feel like an elephant with so much floppy skin! And how is horse? Or are you completely ignoring the thread that you started on how starved your dog was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aztec Gold Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 And how is horse? Or are you completely ignoring the thread that you started on how starved your dog was? That was sad Hopefully the Uncle Alber's she apparently ordered might have put some weight on him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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