Pet brand Years.com is calling for compulsory NHS-style annual health checks for dogs when they reach middle age.

Writing on the company’s website, CEO Darren Beale said: “We are committed to making sure our beloved pet dogs are with us for as long as possible – that means ensuring they live their maximum lifespan. Diet and exercise are, of course, key to helping our companion animals stay healthy and lead a long life.

“But diet and exercise are only part of the answer. We have to make sure that dogs stay healthy by doing our absolute best for them when it comes to health care.

“That’s why Years.com is calling for compulsory NHS style annual health checks for dogs when they reach middle age.

“Humans are offered health checks on the NHS when they reach the age of 50 and we believe dogs deserve the same level of health care when they hit seven.

“After all, to millions of us dogs are so much more than just pets, they are beloved family members – and there are an estimated 11m of them in the UK.

“But unlike humans, dogs aren’t able to tell their family members when they feel unwell and even the most attentive owners can miss the signs of sickness and disease until it’s reached an advanced stage.

“We believe dogs already save the NHS millions every year by giving their owners a reason for regular exercise and making their lives happier and more joyful.

“That’s why we think dogs are worth investing in. So we are calling on the UK’s major political parties to show they care by adopting this policy proposal into their manifestos for the next general election.”

The health checks would be carried out by a local vet who will be looking to spot the early signs of illness or disease.

“With 11m dogs in the UK we estimate that around 4m are aged seven and above. A veterinary health check costs an average of £50,” added Darren. “So we believe the total cost a future Government would need to dedicate to this initiative would be £200m a year.

“Some of this cost could be recouped from vets, with over half of all vets in the UK now being owned by six companies, who many complain charge too much for basic services.

“If you support our campaign for NHS style health checks for middle aged dogs, and want to get involved please let us know by emailing nhs4dogs@years.com.”

For more information visit https://www.years.com/pages/nhsfordogs