The Farmer’s Dog, a subscription-based pet food delivery service that uses human-grade ingredients, has announced an additional $10 million investment in veterinary research. The company said this initiative will fund residencies, grants and clinical studies across a number of universities aimed at advancing scientific understanding of pet nutrition and supporting veterinarians as essential partners in pet health.
This investment will build on the company’s existing veterinary research including significant studies on the impact of food on dog hydration, relative supersaturation, and several ongoing projects.
“The Farmer’s Dog is the answer to the growing consumer preference for less processed foods along with the nutritional expertise and rigor that veterinarians trust,” said Jonathan Regev, co-founder and CEO of The Farmer’s Dog. “Since our founding, we have worked alongside veterinarians and veterinary nutritionists to pioneer this new approach to minimally processed pet food. Veterinary research is one of the most impactful ways we can improve pet health and longevity, and we’re excited to further support the experts leading this work. We believe this will elevate the role of minimally processed, whole food nutrition in veterinary medicine.”
Research partnership with Cornell University
The Farmer’s Dog most recently partnered with Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Agriculture and Life Science on a unique long-term feeding trial. This study examined the impact of feeding dogs The Farmer’s Dog as their primary diet for three times as long as a typical feeding trial, while also contributing to broader research on pet health and nutrition.
With an extended duration, a larger participant group, and comprehensive data collection, all overseen by animal scientists and board-certified veterinary nutritionists, the company said the results provided additional proof of the nutritional balance and completeness of The Farmer’s Dog recipes. The Farmer's Dog also noted the study is the first-of-its-kind in fresh or human-grade pet nutrition, and marks the first phase of a broader plan with the university.
“We are deeply committed to advancing veterinary research and the well-being of companion animals,” said Dr. Huson, associate professor at Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “The support from The Farmer’s Dog allows us to expand our efforts in this critical area of pet health, and we look forward to the continued impact of this research on the veterinary community and the pets and pet owners we serve.”
Adapted from a press release.
