Labrador may be Australia's fattest

COLDSTREAM, Australia, June 23 (UPI) -- An Australian veterinarian says a 187-pound Labrador may be the country's most overweight dog and needs to lose at least half its weight before being adopted.

Amber Lavery, the veterinarian taking care of Sampson until the animal reaches its target weight, said the dog is too heavy to exercise and has bulging, blood-shot eyes due to high blood pressure and the fatty tissue around its head, the Melbourne Herald Sun reported Wednesday.

Lavery is taking care of the dog for the Animal Aid shelter in Coldstream, where she is employed. She said the dog has to be transported between her home and the shelter in a van because it does not fit into her family car.

Staff at the shelter said it will likely take until Christmas for Sampson to shed the excess pounds.

"He's the size of a small heifer," Lavery said. "It's obvious to get a case of such extreme obesity, Sampson has been fed excessive quantities of the wrong types of food over a very extended period of time.

"His former owners obviously couldn't resist his big brown eyes that follow you around saying 'Feed me,'" she said.