A warning has been issued to dog owners after a recent study conducted by Burns Pets Nutrition, a British natural pet food manufacturer, uncovered a concerning trend of owners giving dangerous treats to their pets, according to the Daily Mail.
Surprisingly, the study found that one-third of surveyed pet owners are inadvertently endangering their dogs’ health with harmful indulgences.
According to a survey of over 2,000 people, 34% of pet owners casually feed their canine pets the same junk foods that are contributing to Britain’s obesity issue. According to Burgess Pet Care’s 2021 research, a whopping 50% of dogs in the UK are overweight or obese.
Alarmingly, nearly half of the questioned owners admitted to feeding their dogs chicken nuggets, with an expert warning that a single incorrect nutritional choice may be catastrophic for these furry pals. Laura Crotch Harvey, Burns Nutrition Manager, underlined the possible dangers, saying, “Giving dogs even a small amount of toxic human food could be fatal.”
The study also found that 34% of respondents were aware of the health concerns connected with feeding junk food to dogs, but continued to do so.
Notably, even though women reported to supplying more junk food to their dogs than men, they were less likely to have overweight dogs, with nearly three in ten male owners confessing to having fat pups.
The troubling tendencies extend across age categories, with 12% of owners aged 25 to 34 confessing to feeding chocolate, a known canine poison, to their pets.
Furthermore, a concerning 4% of Gen Z dog owners acknowledged letting their dogs consume alcohol and caffeinated beverages, indicating possible health concerns for these loyal friends.
