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Petbarn's Biggest Pet Loser kicks off March 1

Time to get rid of that puppy fat! The hunt is on for Australia’s most overweight pets...

Petbarn launches ‘Petbarn’s Biggest Pet Loser’ challenge with celebrity trainer, Sam Wood, to help Aussies and their pets get fit in 2017.

Got a pudgy dog or cat that needs a hand shedding the unwanted kilos? Petbarn is putting out an open call for entries for its ‘Petbarn’s Biggest Pet Loser’ challenge which aims to help Aussie pets and their owners to lose weight and improve their fitness, health and wellbeing.

With 41%[1] of Australian dogs estimated to be overweight, this challenge is designed to bring the spotlight on pet obesity and will see ten shortlisted pets and their owners go on a 12-week fitness journey with Greencross Vets and celebrity trainer, Sam Wood respectively. 

By registering before March 1st, pet owners can go into the running to participate in the challenge and the chance to win a $2000 Petbarn voucher and $1000 cash. Dr Rachel Chay, Chief Veterinarian at Greencross Vets believes that there is a big job to be done to educate Australians on the importance of pet nutrition and obesity.

“We need to understand that just like us, our furry friends are not immune to obesity, which can in turn result in serious health issues such as arthritis, diabetes, heart problems and in severe cases, even premature death.

“While “kitty rolls” and “puppy fat” are usually used as terms of endearment for our pets, it is actually a cause of concern. We see thousands of pets across the country in our clinics and a lot of pet owners are surprised to hear that their pet is severely overweight,” said Dr Chay.


The chosen pet participants will be provided with a customised health and nutrition plan by Greencross Vets and the pet owner will receive a personalised consultation with Sam Wood, along with access to three rounds of his online training and nutrition program, ’28 by Sam Wood’.

Sam Wood is excited to be on board with this unique challenge. His ‘28 by Sam Wood’ program will feature a new 28-minute work out every day for 28 days, alongside food, mindfulness, support tips as well as a personal check-in call from the celebrity trainer himself.

“As a pet parent myself, I know how easy it is to spoil my Labrador, Hendrix. I hope that this challenge will bring the issue of pet obesity to the forefront and help pet parents and their pets get in top shape as well as inspire others. If you have a friend or loved one that you suspect has an overweight pet, get them to register now,” said Wood.

The winning ‘Petbarn’s Biggest Pet Loser’ will be judged based on the percentage loss of their overall weight with major prizes to be won. 


Registrations close on 1 March 2017. T&Cs apply.

[1] Obesity in Australian Pets, Australian Veterinary Association, http://www.ava.com.au/news/media-centre/hot-topics (Studies from overseas have indicated a prevalence of up to 44% in dogs and 40% in cats)
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