Waltham Petcare Science Institute

The Waltham Petcare Science Institute is the science hub for Mars Petcare, owned by Mars, Incorporated located at Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire, United Kingdom. Waltham conducts scientific research into pet care and animal nutrition (for dogs, cats, fish and horses).

Waltham Petcare Science Institute
AbbreviationWaltham
Formation1973
TypeResearch institute
Legal statusPrivate company
PurposeScientific research into pet health and nutrition
Location
  • Freeby Lane, Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire, LE14 4RT
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
Pet nutritionists, veterinarians, data scientists
Parent organization
Mars Petcare
AffiliationsInternational Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations, International Veterinary Information Service
WebsiteWaltham

History

The pet food subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated (Mars Petcare) began research into pet nutrition in the early 1960s, formally founding a Nutrition Research Unit in 1965.[1] Originally the institute was housed at a nearby location but was moved to an old stud farm at Waltham-on-the-Wolds in 1973.[2]

Since 2001, a non-charitable organisation called the Waltham Foundation has funded a number of humane scientific research projects dedicated to furthering the health and nutrition of companion animals.[3]

An August 2019 documentary on Channel 4 made by Whitworth Media featured the site.[4]

Research

Publications

  • Waltham originally published the magazine Waltham Focus four times a year. This has since been renamed as Veterinary Focus and is distributed in more than fifty countries and is published in several languages.[6]
  • The Waltham Book of Companion Animal Nutrition, 15 July 1993, Butterworth–Heinemann, 136pp, ISBN 0-08-040843-5
  • The Waltham Book of Human Animal Interaction, 30 September 1995,Butterworth–Heinemann , 148pp, ISBN 0-08-042284-5 HC 0-08-042285-3 PB
  • Waltham pocket book of essential nutrition for cats and dogs. 2nd edition, 2012
  • Waltham pocket book of human animal interactions, 2012
  • Waltham pocket book of puppy nutrition and care, 2012
  • Waltham pocket book of healthy weight maintenance for cats and dogs, 2010

Structure

Waltham houses and cares for around 200 dogs and 350 cats. The companion animals involved with the organisation are adopted after a period of time. The UK headquarters of Mars was built next to the Centre in 1981.

There is another research site at Verden an der Aller in north Germany, at Mars Petcare's largest factory in Europe.

References

  1. "WALTHAM Heritage Awards".
  2. "Mars UK History".
  3. "About the Waltham Foundation".
  4. C4
  5. "Why cats don't go for sweet foods". BBC News. 1 August 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  6. "Veterinary Focus". ivis.org. International Veterinary Information Service. Retrieved 7 October 2011.

Further reading

  • The Times, 1 November 1997, page 16
  • The Independent, 10 June 2001, page 20
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