Stair lift for dogs created

Wednesday, 28th March 2012

An increasing number of animals should be eating diet pet food, with one in three dogs now believed to be overweight.

Research by More Than Pet Insurance suggests that by 2022, over half of the nation's dogs will be overweight.

Extra layers of fat can put pressure on a dog's back, leading to conditions that can mean it is unable to climb stairs.

Following these statistics, designers have created the first ever dog stair lift, remodelling the classic design to add a basket that dogs can get into.

John Ellenger, head of pet insurance at More Than, said: "At the moment we take it for granted that our dogs can retrieve balls and climb a set of stairs without putting their health at risk.

"We're undoubtedly a nation of dog lovers, but time and again we see people sharing their love in an unhealthy way, mostly through feeding their dogs inappropriate and fat-laden foods."

Vet Jo Inglis added that the stair lift for dogs is an innovative product, but notes that it is a sad situation that it has even been created.