Pets which require thinning down are being hunted by an animal charitable trust to take part in its 2007 Pet Fit Club competition. The PDSA is calling upon owners of obese pets to enter their overweight animals into the contest in which eight pets will battle it out to become the charity's slimmer of the year. This year's winner will have to show that they have managed to stick to their new regime after shedding the pounds in a bid to win their owner a pet-friendly break with Coastal Cottages of Pembrokeshire. Research conducted by the charity highlighted that 28 per cent of canines in north-east England are overweight; Scotland and Ireland were found to have 26 per cent of obese pooches.
PDSA senior veterinary surgeon Elaine Pendlebury said: "Our figures show that there is a real need for owners to help their overweight pets lose those excess pounds and PDSA pet fit club offers them the chance to do just that." Last month, the charity ran a campaign to increase the awareness of possible holiday hazards for pets, such as travelling in a car without being buckled in.