36 Percent of Dogs Gained Weight During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Survey Finds

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Life is ruff when you’re stuck home in quarantine.

Anew studyhas found that a significant amount of dogs put on a few extra pounds while quarantining with their families during theCOVID-19 pandemic.

Teaming up with smart dog technology companyFi,Pumpkin Pet Insuranceasked over 1,000 dog owners to answer an array of questions about the canine’s quarantine life, including questions about weight gain.

According to the survey, 36% of pups gained weight during the pandemic. Twenty-five percent of the pet owners with larger pups said that their pets actually got more exercise than normal throughout the pandemic.

So what is the reason behind all the extra pooch pounds? According to the survey, 45% of pet owners said they gave their animals extra treats, while 41% admitted to giving them scraps from the table.

Similarly, according to the survey, 56% of humans said that their canine companions gained weight when they did.

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“We have definitely noticed a trend of weight gain during the pandemic,” Dr. Ashleigh Bruno, a vet at West Orange Animal Hospital, said in a statement. “Food is love for a lot of pet owners (myself included).”

The survey also concluded that 66% of pet owners said their dogs become more active when they did too.

source: people.com