Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. intends for its newly launched Purina Institute to be “the global voice of Purina’s science representing its more than 500 scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts who are on a mission to advance nutritional science to help pets live longer, healthier lives,” said the company in a statement. The institute seeks to elevate the topic of pet nutrition with veterinarians to drive conversations with pet owners about the role of nutrition in overall pet health. Current research shows that 83 percent of pet owners say they completely trust veterinarians to provide helpful information on pet food, but only 22 percent of veterinarians report initiating nutrition conversations with their clients. The Purina Institute will: Share Purina's nutritional discoveries (e.g., brain and digestive health, molecular nutrition), while leveraging expertise from Purina and Nestlé affiliates making discoveries in human nutrition Facilitate knowledge sharing and innovation by showcasing objective, fact-based information sourced from the wider scientific community on current trending topics across pet and human nutrition Collaborate with the global veterinary community and scientific thought leaders by hosting scientific events, roundtables, panel discussions, and webinars at the Institute’s Conference and Education Facility in St. Louis Support global initiatives to help advance the field of veterinary medicine and improve pet health. The Purina Institute is the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s first Diamond partner and supports its Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee, Global Nutrition Committee, Hereditary Disease Committee, One Health Committee, and One Care initiative. The Purina Institute also supports resident research grants with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, which help support the advancement of companion animal science. “Simply put, we believe that science is more powerful when it’s shared. It has never been more timely to put nutrition at the forefront of conversations veterinarians are having with pet owners,” said Lizzie Parker, DVM, group director, Purina Institute. “There is a heightened level of awareness and interest in human nutrition, but in fact, nutrition can potentially play an even more powerful role in promoting our pets’ health. For nearly a century, our researchers have been dedicated to discovering new scientific breakthroughs, and we are committed to sharing our findings with the scientific community, enabling pets and the people who love them to benefit from this work.” Visit purinainstitute.com for more information.
