Recommended by Veterinarians Worldwide

Our commitment
to animal welfare

Animal welfare statement

All pets cared for by Hill’s™ Pet Nutrition will live in a loving, safe, playful and clean environment. We only use non-invasive, humane research methods necessary to develop nutritional technology so that dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives. Our breakthroughs in pet nutrition are unmatched in the pet food industry and we’ve built our business and reputation on always practicing the highest ethical standards.

Every day we prove that quality scientific technology and compassionate animal care go hand-in-hand for the improvement of pets’ healthy lives. This is why Hill’s only supports [and exercises] the responsible, caring and humane treatment of dogs and cats. All studies conducted or supported by Hill’s — whether at the Hill’s™ Pet Nutrition Center or externally in consumers' homes, veterinary schools or elsewhere — must comply with the following stringent Hill’s policies to ensure exceptional animal care:

  • We do not participate in studies that jeopardise the health of dogs and cats. All Hill’s-supported studies are designed to maintain and improve the animals’ health. No study will be performed on dogs or cats which requires euthanasia.
  • When studying how a nutrient is absorbed, distributed, stored, used and released by a dog’s or cat’s body, we only use research methods that are the veterinary equivalent of human nutritional or medical studies. Hill’s does not support or conduct studies that cause pain or hurt the dogs or cats. This is based on the belief that what is painful to humans is also painful to dogs and cats.
  • We only conduct studies if we have compelling evidence that we can improve the health and welfare of companion animals. These studies often result in breakthrough nutritional findings, improving the lives of millions of dogs and cats.
  • We continually strive to find ways to reduce dependence on animal research. A substantial number of dogs and cats participating in our feeding studies are involved in in-home tests. Our veterinarians and nutritionists are skilled at developing models simulating animal systems. For example, for oral care testing we have pioneered use of an “artificial mouth” which measures the effectiveness of new technologies. Another example is our development and use of a mathematical formula, based on the nutrient profile of the food, which accurately predicts the pH of feline urine without animal testing.
  • To assure pet owners that our therapeutic foods are safe and effective, we support studies using pets with naturally occurring diseases or conditions. We do not participate in studies in which surgical or non-surgical methods are used to create or simulate disease conditions.
  • The Hill’s Pet Nutrition Center and any external facility Hill’s supports must meet or exceed all industry regulatory standards for animal care. For all studies conducted at external facilities, we appoint and fund “pet advocates,” responsible for ensuring each pet’s compassionate care, which has the key components of providing exercise and a socially-enriched environment.
  • We enthusiastically support and encourage adoption of dogs and cats previously participating in studies. We strongly urge new pet owners to research and study how to care for a new pet before bringing one into the home.
  • We publish the results of our studies to advance the knowledge of nutritional health care and to help prevent the unnecessary repetition of studies involving dogs and cats.
  • Hill’s only uses data from animal studies that are in the public domain (previously published) or were conducted under this Global Animal Welfare Policy.