Italian pet owners feed most table scraps, treats to pets, survey finds

In a recent survey of nearly 1,300 Italians that asked whether they thought their pets were overweight, 29 percent agreed that their pet was overweight, according to a report commissioned by Hill's petfood company and the survey conducted by UK-based market research company YouGov.  
The survey further found that 26 percent of Italian pet owners said they feed their pet leftovers and snacks. This is compared to previous surveys conducted in the Netherlands and Great Britain, where just 8 percent and 13 percent of pet owners, respectively, fed their pet snacks and leftovers. Overall, it is estimated that overweight and obese pets in Italy could account for up to 95 percent of cats and 63 percent of dogs. 

The Dog Talk Project

I would like to invite dog owners to participate in a new online research program involving owners and their dogs. The Dog Talk Project (http://www.dogtalkproject.com) is a web-based system of surveys that studies a wide range of dog-related topics, including dog owners’ daily
activities and routines, dog health care practices, behavior, training, breed preferences and attitudes, tthe social effects of dogs, and nutrition and feeding practices.
We currently are collecting data with seven surveys and have several additional surveys in development. Select sets of results are posted on our “Results Pages” and are updated regularly. Participation is free and is completely voluntary. Participating dog owners have a wide variety of dog interests and professions, and include dog sports enthusiasts, professional trainers and behaviorists, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, breeders, shelter and rescue professionals, dog
sitters/walkers, pet nutritionists, pet supply store owners, and of course, pet owners who simply love spending time with their canine companions.
Please feel welcome to visit the Dog Talk Project to learn more about
this project (http://www.dogtalkproject.com) and to share your dog-related
experiences and knowledge. (Note: AutumnGold also offers sponsored and customized surveys to pet-related organizations and companies. Please contact AutumnGold for details).
Thanks!
Linda Case,
Administrator, The Dog Talk Project (admin@dogtalkproject.com)
Owner, AutumnGold Consulting (http://www.autumngoldconsulting.com; lcase@autumngoldconsulting.com)