Even if you have the most nutritious pet food in the world, it won’t have much value if pets refuse to eat it.
To address this real concern, Hill’s has enlisted the help of roughly 900 dogs and cats who live in the Pet Nutrition Center, or “PNC” for short.
Inside the 180-acre center located in Topeka, KS, a full staff of veterinarians, PhDs, nutritionists and food scientists focus on each food’s nutritional quality. Meanwhile, taste is tested by a furrier, more discerning set of critics. Here’s how both sides of the PNC work together to ensure Hill’s® pet foods meet our high standards.
THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE PNC
Hill's long-term investment in learning, technology and talented scientists has helped develop industry-leading product innovations, including the most extensive range of clinical nutrition products for sick, at-risk and healthy pets.
Approximately 225 people work at our Hill’s Science and Technology Center, including global research, product development, safety, quality and regulatory teams.
Inside the PNC, Hill’s works passionately to create foods that have the power to transform lives. Many of these employees also hold advanced degrees in engineering, sensory, biology and statistics to create a multi-disciplinary approach to pet nutrition.
Our research done by this talented team spreads across a wide range of scientific disciplines, but none of them eat the pet food we make — there’s a different team for that.
THE FURRY SIDE OF FOOD SCIENCE
The dogs and cats of the Pet Nutrition Center start their roles early in life, since puppy and kitten food also needs their evaluation.
Our dogs and cats are enrolled in taste preference evaluations, where they are offered different choices of pet foods. A variety of palatability tests and sensory assessments are used to accurately measure how much food is being eaten, and by which dog or cat. The preferences of each pet are recorded through a number of observations to ensure every pet food from Hill’s isn’t just nutritional — but enjoyable as well.
Maintaining this facility is an everyday process. Hill’s is part of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and participates in routine inspections to maintain the animal hospital’s accreditation. Kansas and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) employ veterinarians to inspect the facility annually. These inspections may be scheduled or unannounced at their discretion.
While that may sound technical, the day-to-day for these dogs and cats has been referred to as a “pet’s paradise,” where the health and mental well-being of each animal is our staff’s number one priority. Everything done in the PNC is to ensure Hill’s has the right nutrients — and the right levels — in every one of our products. These important furry employees are given five elements of optimum care: quality nutrition, physical and mental exercise, proper veterinary health care and finally LOVE and affection.
See what life is like for these PNC pets with this 360° virtual tour of the facility.
