24th December 2008

Funny Film with Serious Message

Read more: Behaviour Dogs Food Health | Comments (0)

The acclaimed animator behind the popular Simon’s Cat films has developed a new character, Simon’s Sister’s Dog, for an amusing new animation made especially for the RSPCA. It is available to watch at: www.giveanimalsavoice.org.uk.

Simon Tofield’s three witty Simon’s Cat animations - ‘Cat Man Do’, ‘TV Dinner’ and ‘Let Me In’ - caught the imagination of millions of people who watched them on You Tube, and fans have been clamouring to see his next work.

Entitled ‘Fed Up’, the fun yet perceptive new film highlights how easy it is to feed your pet too much – especially over the Christmas period when it can be tempting to give animals extra treats.

Simon’s Sister’s Dog is seen hiding under the dinner table, begging for titbits. Everyone gives him a treat, unaware that they’re all doing the same thing. The dog happily gobbles everything up, but then begins to feel unwell. In typical dog style Simon’s Sister’s Dog eats everything he’s given and doesn’t know when to stop….

Begging for food is common dog behaviour and - if owners give in to it - can lead to pets becoming obese. According to leading vets one in three pets is overweight and the RSPCA is extremely concerned about the effect it’s having on animal welfare. Overweight pets can suffer a reduced quality of life, arthritis, and internal illnesses such as diabetes, liver disease and heart disease.

Pet owners who are worried about their pet’s weight should:

Seek the advice of a vet

If necessary, put them on an appropriate diet

Increase the amount of exercise they get

Support is also available at the RSPCA’s Pets Get Slim website (www.petsgetslim.co.uk).

TV and resident Pets Get Slim vet Joe Inglis said, “Just as the very witty Simon’s Cat animations captured elements of cat characteristics that are so familiar to us all, ‘Fed Up’ illustrates behaviour that is typical of both dogs and humans.

“Most dogs are obsessed with food and will beg for treats whether they’re hungry or not - and many loving pet owners think they’re being kind when they give their animals extra treats.

“But leftovers from the table are a pet’s number one enemy. We tend to give the least healthy bits from our meals, such as fatty bits of meat, and these go straight from your plate onto your pet’s hips.

“It’s especially important to remember this at Christmas when there’s lots of food around and it can be tempting to ‘spoil’ your dog. If you want to treat your dog, give it extra attention rather than food.”

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