Who We Are
Clinical obesity deserves clinical care.
The World Pet Obesity Association (WPOA) is an independent, veterinary-led international organization advancing the science and clinical care of obesity in companion animals.
WPOA works with veterinary professionals, researchers, educators, academic institutions, animal health organizations, and other health partners to improve how obesity is recognized, diagnosed, treated, monitored, and studied.
Our work includes evidence-informed clinical standards, professional education, practical tools, research collaboration, publications, events, and recognition programs that support better long-term care.
This direction is consistent with the modern clinical shift reflected in the 2025 Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission on Clinical Obesity: moving beyond weight alone toward disease recognition, functional impact, appropriate diagnosis, and evidence-informed care.
Working definition
Clinical obesity is excess adiposity accompanied by clinically meaningful abnormalities plausibly attributable to adiposity.
Body condition score helps identify excess adiposity. Clinical obesity goes further by assessing whether that adiposity is plausibly contributing to disease, impaired function, reduced quality of life, or other clinically meaningful abnormalities.
Our Mission
Improving health through better obesity care.
Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of companion animals by advancing the prevention, recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term monitoring of obesity through education, research, professional collaboration, and evidence-informed clinical standards.
Recognize
Recognize the disease state
Support clearer recognition of obesity as a chronic disease state with health and functional consequences, not simply a number on a scale.
Diagnose
Improve diagnostic clarity
Promote practical approaches to adiposity assessment, clinical evaluation, case definition, and patient-specific diagnosis.
Treat
Support effective treatment
Encourage structured, evidence-informed treatment plans that address nutrition, activity, medical factors, communication, and long-term support.
Monitor
Measure progress over time
Promote follow-up using body condition, muscle condition, function, quality of life, clinical findings, and treatment response.
Advance
Advance research and education
Support stronger science, clearer terminology, professional education, practical resources, and more consistent standards of obesity care.
Research
More science. Better care.
Clinical obesity deserves better diagnostic tools, improved interventions, and clearer outcome measures.
WPOA advocates for companion animal obesity to be treated with the same seriousness as other chronic diseases that affect healthspan, mobility, comfort, and quality of life.
One Health
A shared health challenge
WPOA approaches companion animal obesity through a One Health lens, recognizing that animal health, human behavior, nutrition, access to care, the built environment, and the human-animal bond are connected.
Better obesity care requires veterinary medicine, public health, research, education, industry, and pet-owner communication to move in a more consistent direction.
Who We Serve
Connecting the people who shape obesity care.
WPOA serves veterinary professionals, practice teams, researchers, educators, universities, professional organizations, animal health companies, and other partners committed to improving companion animal health.
Through education, clinical resources, publications, conferences, research collaboration, and recognition programs, WPOA helps turn scientific progress into practical care.
Leadership
Scientific and executive leadership
WPOA combines veterinary and scientific leadership with executive direction focused on building practical programs, resources, collaborations, publications, and international initiatives.
Dr. Ernie Ward, DVM, CVFT
Founder and Scientific Director
Dr. Ernie Ward is a veterinarian, author, educator, and long-time advocate for improving how the veterinary profession understands and treats companion animal obesity. He provides scientific and veterinary direction across WPOA's clinical, educational, research, and professional initiatives.
Founding perspective
Dr. Ward founded WPOA to advance clinical obesity care, professional education, research collaboration, and global standards. He also founded APOP in 2005. The organizations are independently operated and serve distinct roles.
Laura Ward
Chief Executive Officer
Laura Ward leads WPOA's strategy, operations, collaborations, communications, and organizational development. She works with WPOA's veterinary and scientific contributors to develop programs, clinical resources, publications, events, recognition initiatives, and collaborations that advance companion animal obesity care.
Work with WPOA
Contact WPOA about continuing education, conferences, research collaboration, publications, clinical resources, recognition programs, organizational partnerships, standards development, or media inquiries.
About WPOA
The World Pet Obesity Association is a veterinary-led organization focused on improving how companion animal obesity is recognized, diagnosed, treated, monitored, and studied. WPOA works to move pet obesity care beyond general awareness toward consistent clinical standards, evidence-informed education, and long-term disease management.