Banfield Announces Fittest Pet of the Year Winners

PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The inspiring Pets that won the title of Banfield's Fittest Pets of the Year are a Labrador mix, named Tyson Collins, from Tucker, Ga., who lost an astounding 20 pounds and a feline, Boris Bivins from Overland Park, Ks., who lost 15 percent of his body weight. As the winners of Banfield's PetFit Challenge, each Pet receives grand prizes for their weight loss achievement, including a one-year Banfield Optimum Wellness Plan and a brand new refrigerator overflowing with Hill's Pet food!

With medical guidance from Stacy Lettsome, DVM at the Tucker Banfield, long walks with his owner and Hill's Science Diet r/d Canine low calorie Pet food, Tyson Collins safely lost 20 pounds in 6 months on the PetFit Challenge. "Tyson has been my Pet, child and companion for more than seven years and thanks to the PetFit Challenge, I feel like I have prolonged our time together by improving his health," says Tyson's owner, Sarah Collins. "Tyson acts like a puppy again!"

Boris Bivins, the feline PetFit winner, lost 3.5 pounds or 15 percent of his body weight through dietary change, exercise and partnering with his Banfield veterinarian, Jennifer McDermott, DVM. His owner reports that the weight loss has done wonders for Boris's health and it shows. "Since the weight loss, Boris is more active now," says the Bivins family. "One night he jumped up on the TV and we could not believe that he made the jump -- an incredible feat for Boris."

To help combat obesity in Pets, Banfield, The Pet Hospital, the nation's largest private veterinary practice, teamed up with Hill's(R) Pet Nutrition, the maker of Science Diet(R) and Prescription Diet(R) brand pet foods in January 2007 to unleash the PetFit Challenge in Banfield hospitals across the country. With medical guidance from their Banfield veterinarian, Pets that joined the PetFit Challenge were encouraged to work toward achieving a healthy weight through diet and exercise.

"Pet obesity is a very serious, yet common health threat to millions of Pets across America," says Karen Johnson, DVM, Banfield, The Pet Hospital Vice President and Client Advocate. "Fortunately, weight issues are usually treatable through diet and exercise, which our PetFit winner's weight loss achievement proves. We hope the winners will inspire Pet owners everywhere to keep their Pets at a healthy body weight, so they have the best opportunity to live a long, healthy life."

Founded in Portland, Oregon, in 1955, Banfield has become the largest privately owned veterinary practice in the world, with more than 600 locations across the U.S., in the U.K. and in Mexico. More than 1000 veterinarians at Banfield are committed to giving Pets the same level of care that their human family members receive. Banfield hospitals offer a full-range of comprehensive, medical services, computerized medical records, Pet preventive care plans, extended operating hours, and is the only veterinary practice in the world with an extensive quality assurance program. Banfield, The Pet Hospital, helps extend the lives of more than 3.5 million Pets each year.

  For More Information Contact:
  Brett Rolin
  (503) 922-5414
  brett.rolin@banfield.net