Hill’s Pet Nutrition opens Small Paws Innovation Center

Topeka-based Hill’s Pet Nutrition celebrated an expansion this week that will allow the company to study and meet the specific needs of small dogs and pets.

Hill’s and Colgate-Palmolive executives, Gov. Laura Kelly, and other local and state leaders gathered Wednesday afternoon at Hill’s global headquarters in North Topeka to observe the grand opening of the company’s new Small Paws Innovation Center.

The recently completed innovation center is a $30 million, 25,000-square-foot facility dedicated to studying the nutrition, behaviors and genetics of small and miniature dog breeds, which are growing in popularity among pet owners.

“In the United States, more than 50% of dogs are now what we call small dogs,” said Hill’s president Jesper Nordengaard. “In Japan, it’s in the excess of 85%. So, of course, we need a facility like this, where we can do research and get these beautiful creatures the right food, so they can live happy and long lives.”

Read more from the Topeka Capitol Journal here