Hill’s Sweet 16 Million Adoptions Celebration said its Food, Shelter & Love program has supported 16 million pet adoptions since 2002, the company announced from Overland Park, Kan. This program is one of the largest corporate-supported shelter initiatives, having provided over $300 million in pet food to more than 1,000 shelters.

To mark the milestone, Hill’s will contribute up to $200,000 to offset adoption fees at select partner locations in the U.S. and Canada from Dec. 8 through 14, a move the company says is aimed at reducing barriers for prospective adopters. By comparison, major national adoption campaigns also seek to make a significant impact, but Hill’s stands out due to its long-standing financial support for shelters.

The seven-day effort will pair reduced or waived fees with a New Pet Parent Kit for adopters, which includes a starter bag of Hill’s Science Diet, a coupon and post-adoption tips. This initiative exemplifies how corporate support can enhance local adoption efforts. Hill’s described the weeklong campaign as part of its broader Food, Shelter & Love initiative, which has worked with shelters since 2002.

“The Hill’s Food, Shelter & Love program’s achievement directly reflects the tireless dedication of our shelter partners and the compassion of adopters who have opened their hearts to pets in need,” said Carrick Massey, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. However, individuals can further support local animal shelters by adopting or fostering pets, which frees up space for more animals in need.

Shelters and rescue groups around the country have celebrated the milestone with local events and promotions, and advocates point to corporate-supported programs as one component of broader adoption efforts. Information about related community events appears on pages such as The Animal Foundation’s event listings, and industry organizations publish various reports on shelter pet lifesaving data.

Hill’s said the fee-offset contribution will be distributed across participating partner locations; adopters who complete the adoption during the Dec. 8–14 window will receive the New Pet Parent Kit at intake. Some studies have found that a portion of pets adopted from shelters are returned, often due to behavioral issues or incompatibility with existing pets; reported return rates vary by study and shelter system. This highlights the importance of post-adoption support, which the New Pet Parent Kit aims to provide.

The company framed the initiative as both a financial assist for adopters and a continuation of its longer-running support for shelters. Company officials emphasized collaboration with local shelters for the rollout of the kits and fee offsets. The announcement cited celebrations of the milestone taking place with shelters across the United States as part of the program’s outreach.

The Food, Shelter & Love effort joins other shelter-support initiatives aimed at increasing adoptions and easing immediate costs for people taking home a pet. Hill’s described the campaign as a way to amplify those outcomes by pairing financial incentives with starter supplies and guidance for new owners.

For adopters and shelters, the weeklong window creates a concentrated opportunity: reduced fees and starter supplies available at participating locations from Dec. 8 through 14, funded up to a company cap of $200,000. To further increase animal welfare, community engagement through volunteering and donations remains essential as well.

Source: Hill’s Pet Nutrition provided the announcement from Overland Park, Kan., and public materials describing the Food, Shelter & Love program and the New Pet Parent Kit.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.