Prince George third birthday: Photo prompts warning from RSPCA

Food made for humans can be hard for animals to digest

Prince George on his third birthday (Matt Porteous/PA Wire )

Prince George’s official photo for his third birthday has prompted the RSPCA to issue a warning about the dangers of feeding dogs food such as ice cream.

As is tradition, the third in line to the throne’s birthday was marked with the release of official photos. In one of four images, Prince George was seen holding an ice cream, apparently offering it to the family dog Lupo.

In response to being asked about the picture, the RSPCA advised pet owners trying to keep their animals cool in the summer heat not to give them products meant for humans, such as dairy, which can be hard to digest.

“It is lovely that Prince George is trying to help keep his family dog, Lupo, cool in these high temperatures,” the animal charity said in a statement. “We would advise people to be cautious when giving their dogs food meant for human consumption as some items, like chocolate, can be highly toxic to dogs and dairy items can be difficult for them to digest.

“Instead of ice-cream we would suggest making an ice lolly from pet-friendly ingredients. Making these can be really fun for children and the end product is both safe and enjoyable for dogs.”