Porky pooches leave SPCA speechless (+vid)

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FAT FRIENDS: Bert the morbidly obese fox terrier was left at the SPCA after his owners who could no longer care for them.

BIG DIFFERENCE: Big boy Bert next to a 'normal' sized fox terrier.

PORKER: Bert weighed 32kg on arrival at the Auckland SPCA.

EXTRA, EXTRA: Ernie weighed 20kg when he was surrendered to the SPCA.

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Auckland SPCA staff were speechless when they first saw morbidly obese dogs Bert and Ernie.

The two fox terriers were handed-over to the animal haven on June 17 by their owners who could no longer care for them.

On arrival Bert weighted a whopping 32kg and Ernie weighed 20kg.  But despite their weight problem the eight year dogs were happy, and had been generally well cared for since they were puppies.

SPCA operations manager Tracy Dunn said the team were speechless when they saw how overweight the dogs were.

She said the SPCA often sees malnourished and underweight dogs and cats, so it was unusual to have two very overweight dogs handed in at once.

Dunn said animal obesity is becoming a major problem in New Zealand.

"The nation's overweight people are in turn overfeeding and supersizing their pets."

Bert and Ernie have been put on a Hill's Prescription Diet which is low in calories and high in dietary fibre with appropriate levels of protein.

The dogs' progress will be monitored every week until they reach their ideal weight -15kg for Bert and 12kg for Ernie.

Bert's weight loss plan is predicted to take 36 weeks and Ernie's should take around 27 weeks.

SPCA staff have already noticed positive changes in the dogs.  

"They are finding it easier to move around and their weight is slowly but surely dropping."

The dogs will soon move on to a foster home, and will be put up for adoption once they reach their goal weight.

The SPCA hopes Bert and Ernie can be rehomed together as they are the "best of friends".