How Pearl the lazy Jack Russell became a hot dog again: Dog that was so fat it risked being put down sheds half of her 80lbs bulk thanks to a strict diet and exercise regime
- Pearl the dog was once so obese she had to be moved using a special sheet
- Found abandoned in a car park in Augusta and taken in by a rescue centre
- Went through a regime using exercise balls, wobble plates and diet kibble
- Now comes in at 44lb and is taken to weight-loss group to inspire dieters
A dog that once weighed as much as a dishwasher is now inspiring human dieters at Weight Watchers meetings after shedding half its body weight.
Pearl, a Jack Russell mix, was once so obese she had to be moved using a sheet and was at risk of being put down, but has since shed more than 40lbs thanks to a strict diet and the use of an underwater treadmill.
She was abandoned in a car park on Kensington Driver, Augusta, after her cruel owners let her swell to a whopping 80lbs.
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The Jack Russell mix was once so fat she had to be moved using a sheet but shed three stones thanks to a strict diet and the use of an underwater treadmill. She is pictured weighing 80lbs
She was abandoned in a car park on Kensington Driver, Augusta, by her cruel owners. She is pictured mid-way through her weight-loss regime exercising in the gym
Before four-year-old Pearl's diet regime she was so unhealthy vets said her heart could have stopped at any second.
Hayley Zielinski, 48, who runs The Dog Networking Agents, described how morbidly obese Pearl had the 'saddest eyes I'd ever seen'.
'The dog was absolutely morbidly obese, she couldn't walk or move her head as her neck was enormous, she even had to be wheeled into the vets,' she said.
'No one had seen such a morbidly obese dog that was still alive and vets told us that her heart could stop at any moment.
'At times, we didn't think she was going to make it, we feared she was going to have a heart attack. Dogs like Pearl would normally be euthanised in the shape she was.'
A team of vets and trainers immediately set to work on Pearl, giving her daily exercises and dramatically cutting her food consumption.
Before her diet regime she was so unhealthy that vets said her heart could have stopped at any second. She is seen here at the very early stages of her weight loss
The dog went through a testing health and fitness regime to lose weight, including rolling on an exercise ball.(right) But she was not always happy at being made to work (left)
Pearl lost a pound a month, but suffered dangerous complications including pneumonia due to her lack of fitness. The dog is pictured here before weight-loss, when she had to be wheeled around
She lost a pound a month, but suffered dangerous complications including pneumonia due to her lack of fitness.
Now she has slimmed down to 3st 2 (44lb) and is a mini-celebrity among dieters in Augusta.
Mrs Zielinski, originally from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, said: 'I'm really proud of her.
'She went from being trapped in her own body and scared of the outside world to confident, plus she can even jogs every now and again.
'Sadly, there were no medical reasons for her being overweight, she had been fed to near death, literally someone feeding her into an oblivion.
'Every vet said they were amazed she was still alive and that they had never seen such an overweight dog.'
Pearl is physically capable of going for walks now and has undergone skin reduction surgery to get in shape.
But Mrs Zielinski says Pearl is a 'lazy dog' at heart, adding: 'She's a real character, she's hilarious and very lazy.
'I will take her for a walk and after a while she will just drop on the floor and refuses to move.
'People point when they see her and say 'Oh my god, that's Pearl', she's very popular in our community.
'Everybody loves her and she's inspiring a lot of people to lose weight themselves.'
Hayley Zielinski,(left) originally from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, said: 'I'm really proud of her. She went from being trapped in her own body and scared of the outside world to confident'
The Dog Networking Agents are a non-profit organisation who help abandoned and shelter pets find new homes. Pictured: Pearl after her grueling regime, which included surgery to remove excess skin
The Dog Networking Agents are a non-profit organisation who help abandoned and shelter pets find new homes.
They also take on pets, like Pearl, who would otherwise be euthanised.
To donate or for more information visit their website.
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