Hill’s Pet Nutrition Reaches 16 Million Shelter Pet Adoptions With Food, Shelter & Love Program
Hill’s Pet Nutrition just hit a milestone that deserves a standing ovation from veterinary professionals everywhere. Its Food, Shelter & Love program has now supported 16 million pet adoptions across North America since launching in 2002. That number is not just impressive. It represents healthier pets, stronger shelters and smoother transitions from kennel to couch. For veterinarians who work closely with shelters or advise new pet parents, this milestone highlights how nutrition, adoption medicine and community partnerships intersect in real and measurable ways.
Shelter medicine is often about doing more with less. Consistent, science-led nutrition can make a meaningful difference in immune function, digestive health and coat quality, all of which affect adoptability. Hill’s has provided more than $300 million worth of discounted food to over 1,000 shelters every day, helping standardize diets and reduce the GI upsets that complicate medical care and delay adoption.From a clinical perspective, fewer diet changes mean fewer stress-related illnesses. From a workflow perspective, predictable nutrition simplifies treatment plans and discharge instructions. From an adoption standpoint, pets look and feel better, which helps them find homes faster.
To mark the milestone, Hill’s is partnering with shelters across the United States and Canada for the Sweet 16 Million Adoptions Celebration, running December 8 through 14. During this window, Hill’s is contributing up to $200,000 to help offset dog and cat adoption fees at select Food, Shelter & Love partner shelters. Adopters at participating locations receive a New Pet Parent Kit that includes a starter bag of Hill’s Science Diet, a coupon and post-adoption guidance. For veterinary teams, this continuity of nutrition is a big win. Pets leave the shelter on a diet designed to support their health, and new owners are less likely to experiment with abrupt food changes during the critical adjustment period.
Reduced or waived adoption fees lower barriers for families while increasing shelter throughput. For clinics, that often translates into an influx of new patients who arrive with clearer nutritional histories and better baseline health. This is where veterinary professionals can lean in. Clinics that collaborate with participating shelters can reinforce the importance of maintaining the same diet during the first weeks at home, schedule timely wellness exams and discuss long-term nutritional strategies tailored to life stage and medical needs.
Hill’s Food, Shelter & Love program extends far beyond feeding pets in kennels. Community food pantries supported by Hill’s have received more than 1.5 million pounds of pet food in the past four years, helping families keep pets in their homes during financial hardship. The Disaster Relief Network has delivered more than 4.4 million pounds of food since 2013, supporting shelters and clinics through over 200 emergencies. Hill’s also contributes education and research resources to the animal welfare community, including its annual State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report, which many professionals use to track trends and outcomes.
Sixteen million adoptions is not just a marketing number. It is evidence that long-term investment in nutrition and shelter partnerships works. For veterinarians, it reinforces the role of diet as a foundational component of preventive care, stress reduction and successful adoption outcomes. As shelters celebrate this milestone, veterinary professionals have an opportunity to amplify the message. Consistent nutrition supports healthier pets. Healthier pets get adopted faster. And when pets start their new lives on the right foot, everyone wins, including clinics, shelters and the families who welcome them home.
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