MADISON, Wis. - Feb. 15, 2018 - PRLog -- The 9th annual "Pets Reducing for Rescues" ideal weight contest will have 6 divisions: "Biggest 4-Pawed Loser" dogs and cats, "Iron" dogs and cats, "Cat Pride" and "Dog Pack" challenges.
Contestants choose their favorite local pet rescue and West Towne Veterinary Center (WTVC) donates $10 (dog) to $20 (cat) for each pound lost during the 8-week contest. The contest has donated $13,500 to local rescues over its eight year history.
Official contest kickoff and weigh-in is Saturday, March 3, 2018 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. WTVC staff will perform ideal weight assessments for pets and answer questions related to nutrition and ideal weight. From 1:30 to 2:00 p.m., Dr. Ken Lambrecht will present, "Fun, effective weight management in dogs & cats using the right foods and the latest pet fitness & weight management technologies."
There are no costs or obligations for the contest, weigh-ins or assessments.
NOTE: Pets participating in the "Biggest 4-Pawed Loser" category that are not patients of WTVC must have a signed waiver from their veterinarian to participate.
MEDICAL BACKGROUND
According to the AAHA 2014 Weight Management Guidelines up to 59% of all pets are overweight. Ideal weight dogs live an average of 15% longer. (Gail, Kealy et al. 2002)
"Pet obesity is the single most important preventable wellness issue in pets, causing significant disease and loss of vitality in pets," says Ken Lambrecht, DVM, Medical Director of West Towne Veterinary Center. "We now have evidence-based guidelines and great new technologies to help pets reach and maintain ideal weight safely and effectively."
The future leaders group of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) have chosen pet obesity as their number one focus in 2018.
CONTEST DETAILS
Free contest sign-up and initial weigh-ins will begin on Saturday, March 3 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. If contestants cannot make it to the kickoff, they can still weigh-in at WTVC until noon Saturday, March 10 when enrollment will officially close.
The contest runs eight weeks, with a midpoint weigh-in on Thursday, March 29 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The final contest weigh-in and celebration will take place on Saturday, April 28 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Contestants and contestant recruiters are eligible for over $2,500 in contest & contest door prizes given away at the Cats Night Out Cats Only Kickoff, Main Contest Kickoff, Midpoint and the Grand Finale weigh-ins. Just two official weights at WTVC is all that is required to win. Contestants are encouraged to team up with friends, neighbors and coworkers for additional fun & prizes (dog pack & cat pride challenges!)
FOR CATS
The upstairs of our veterinary clinic houses Bug's Cat Gym, a boarding, foster and educational center showcasing the environmental needs of indoor cats. It features climbing walls, exercise wheels and is also a test site for the latest in weight management technologies (Petrics automatic health monitoring systems, Tailio smart litterbox scales, Surefeed microchip feeders, Petnet & PortionProRx feeders, and Petcube treat dispenser).
Our "Cats Night Out" kickoff weigh-in will be Thursday, March 1 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. We will discuss weight management concepts unique to cats to help them achieve ideal weight. The Midpoint event will be Thursday, March 29 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and the cat finale is Thursday, April 26 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
FOR DOGS
Featured weight management technologies for dogs include Petrics, an exciting new smart bed that heats, cools and weighs and comes with an activity monitor and food app with calorie & nutrient details on 15,000 foods; FitBark 2, a veterinary validated fitness device; Petcube, a new interactive pet camera that dispenses treats remotely and PortionProRx, a veterinary exclusive pet portion controlled feeder designed for multiple pet households.
We will have these exciting weight management technologies for purchase at a special contest rate with all proceeds donated to rescues. They will also be given as door prizes at weigh-ins.
More information is at www.WestTowneVet.com.
CONTEST STATISTICS/MEDICAL BACKGROUND
In the last contest (2017), there were 52 final contestants (26 dogs, 28 cats) and Dane County Friends of Ferals and Dane County Humane Society together received over $4,000. Over $4,000 in pet food and door prizes were given out. This year Underdog Pet Rescue joins DCHS & Madison Cat Project as a rescue partner! This year we will have over $3,000 in prizes for contestants & door prizes at weigh-ins with a goal of $5,000 to be donated to rescues.
Dr. Lambrecht has 37 years of experience as a preventive care veterinarian and is the medical director and founding owner of West Towne Veterinary Center. He is a past board member of the Pet Nutrition Alliance (PNA)(www.petnutritionalliance.org), whose mission is to educate veterinary teams about pet nutrition. He is also an executive board member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and a member of the Cat Friendly Practice Committee. He was one of the authors of the 2012 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines. He has presented locally and nationally on pet weight management.
Contact
Brittany Schmidt
***@westtownevet.com
6088283737
Photos: (Click photo to enlarge)
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