That phenomenon where pets resemble their owners takes a sad turn when it comes to unhealthy weight gain. By 2030, 50 percent of people in most U.S. states will be obese. Now the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimates that over 50 percent of dogs and cats are overweight, and over 20 percent are obese.

The U.K.’s PDSA, a veterinary charity, demonstrated how much of a difference six months of sensible eating and plenty of exercise can make for even the most extreme cases (although, just like in humans, weight loss at too rapid of a pace is unsafe). What’s especially cool about the results of their Pet Fit Club, even for those of us who don’t have fat pets, is that it shows how adhering to a diet plan can have life-altering effects: in all of the photos they released, the pets really do look happier.

Take, for example, the contest winner, ‘Jumbo’ Jack, who weighed 45 pounds at the onset. Jack wasn’t able to lie down properly, let alone exercise, before going on his diet. By the final weigh-in (pictured above), he had lost 31 percent of his body weight, and now prefers to go by ‘Jumping Jack Flash.’

The PDSA […]