This is the time of year when diets go out of the window, and most of us enjoy unadulterated pleasure in festive food.

At a time of economic hardship, though, some families may not be able to afford the usual extravagances.

But a recent survey by Barclaycard shows that despite rising food prices nearly 20% of dog owners refuse to budget when it comes to their pet’s happiness.

And some 9% have cut back on their own expenses to avoid reducing the budget for their pets.

The pet food market in the UK was worth £5.27 billion in 2021, and although all pet food has gone up in price, it’s the premium end of the market that has seen most ‘petflation’.

Gourmet, organic and ‘sustainably-sourced’ dog and cat food is increasingly popular, as are more exotic meat ingredients such as buffalo (yes, buffalo!), venison, duck and rabbit.

And the names given to some of the premium brand foods are very tempting (to the human eye, at least): ‘turkey casserole’, ‘cottage pie’, ‘lamb hotpot’, for example.

If you’re on a budget then maybe it’s time to take stock, and wonder whether humanising what we give our pets is a clever marketing tactic rather than what’s best for them.

Whatever we feed our pets, many of us are giving our beloved companions far too much food – we’re literally killing them with kindness.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) says that its members report a continued rise in pet obesity with the problem becoming so bad that a growing number of vets are getting injured carrying obese animals, forcing many to buy lifting equipment.

A study by Direct Line insurance found that pugs were the dog breed most likely to be overweight, with three quarters defined as fat by vets.

More than half of boxers were too heavy, with golden retrievers next most likely to be overweight.

The pet insurance industry has a vested interest in this research because pet obesity causes joint issues, diabetes, and heart and respiratory problems.

These problems not only cause huge suffering for the animals concerned, but they result in substantial vet bills, many of which the insurance companies will need to cover.

The BVA defines pet obesity as a condition in which excess body fat has developed to the point that the animal’s health is adversely affected by it.

It says that overweight dogs, for example, have a shortened lifespan and are predisposed to painful and debilitating conditions such as osteoarthritis.

Pet owners must accept responsibility.

All too often people give their pets human food, such as cheese and bacon which are high in fat and calories.

About 30 grams of cheese for a cat is the equivalent of three chocolate bars for a human.

The pet food industry also has to take its fair share of blame. It actively markets calorie-filled, over-priced treats and is encouraging pet owners to spoil their beloved animals more than ever over Christmas.

As with overweight humans the answer is, of course, that if a pet takes sufficient exercise and has a calorie-controlled diet then he or she will have a healthy body weight.

Luckily the dog pictured, Buddy, has now been adopted and is coping well with a strict diet in his new home.

When he came to us earlier this year he was a very chunky boy indeed, with absolutely no waistline.

His previous owner had become very unwell and couldn’t maintain a routine for Buddy, and he would sometimes have several meals in one day.

And whilst on the subject of food, please note that the Manx SPCA tearooms are now closed for Christmas and they will re-open on Wednesday, January 4.