Hill’s Pet, HABRI partner to advance human-animal bond research

USA – Hill’s Pet Nutrition and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) have announced a new collaboration to strengthen research into the human-animal bond and its role in improving the health and wellbeing of people, pets and communities.

The partnership will support research to better understand how relationships between people and companion animals influence health outcomes.

HABRI has funded more than 60 research projects examining the human-animal bond.

The organisation said its research has found that people with stronger bonds with their pets are more likely to engage in positive pet care behaviours, including providing higher-quality nutrition, visiting veterinarians regularly and spending more time with their animals.

“At Hill’s Pet Nutrition, our mission is to help enrich and lengthen the special relationships between people and their pets, and we are proud to partner with HABRI to support research that deepens our understanding of the many ways companion animals contribute to human health and well-being,” said Yvonne Hsu, President of Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

Steven Feldman, President of HABRI, said the collaboration would help pet owners and veterinarians better understand the connection between human and animal health.

“With the support of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, HABRI will continue to expand the body of evidence that demonstrates the power of the human-animal bond to improve the health and well-being of people, pets and communities,” he said.

Hill’s expands science-led pet nutrition strategy

The collaboration comes as Hill’s continues to invest in research, new product formats and alternative approaches to pet food production.

In May, Hill’s and Bond Pet Foods received a US Food and Drug Administration no-objection letter for Bond’s lamb protein yeast, produced through precision fermentation.

The ingredient was developed through a collaboration that included a six-month feeding study in dogs and is intended to provide an alternative source of animal protein for pet food.

Hill’s said the development could support its sustainability objectives while diversifying ingredient sourcing.

In June, Hill’s also entered the fresh pet food category with the launch of Science Diet Single Protein Dog Food Rolls.

The refrigerated product can be fed as a complete meal or used as a topper, extending Hill’s science-led nutrition approach into a rapidly growing segment of the pet food market.

The company has also been working upstream in the supply chain.

In May, Hill’s and ADM announced a multi-year regenerative agriculture initiative covering approximately 16,000 acres of corn and soybean fields in Illinois and Minnesota, alongside a 2,500-acre soybean pilot in Hungary.

The programme is designed to improve soil health, biodiversity and farm resilience within the pet food value chain.

The latest partnership with HABRI adds a research and consumer-health dimension to Hill’s broader focus on science, nutrition and the evolving pet food industry.

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