Waltham Petcare Science Institute
Mars Petcare's United Kingdom research institute focused on companion-animal nutrition, health, and care.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Waltham Petcare Science Institute is a research and knowledge organization operated by Mars Petcare, the pet-care division of Mars, Incorporated. It is based at Waltham-on-the-Wolds in Leicestershire, close to Mars's long-established Melton manufacturing and corporate operations. The institute studies the nutrition, physiology, behavior, health, and everyday care of companion animals, with work covering dogs, cats, fish, and horses. Its research supports the development and substantiation of pet-food and pet-care products across the Mars Petcare portfolio, while also contributing to veterinary education and wider scientific understanding of human–animal relationships. The site's institutional roots lie in Mars's expansion of pet-food manufacturing in the United Kingdom. The Melton factory opened in 1951, and Mars began conducting pet-nutrition research during the following decade. A formal Nutrition Research Unit was established in 1965. The research operation was subsequently moved to an old stud-farm site at Waltham-on-the-Wolds, where facilities opened in March 1973 under the name Animal Studies Department. A dog-kennel block was added in 1975, and the organization was known by 1977 as the Animal Studies Centre. Later development created specialized areas for puppies, cats, fish, and other research functions, including an aquatic laboratory that was operating by the 1990s. Waltham is not primarily a consumer-facing product brand. Instead, it functions as a scientific platform behind Mars Petcare brands and as a source of research, technical guidance, and professional communications. Its work has included studies of dietary formulation, healthy weight management, aging, joint health, cardiovascular and cancer-risk considerations, sensory biology, genetics, and human–animal interaction. Published findings have included research indicating that cats lack the functional genetic pathway required to taste sweetness, work linking a major component of canine body-size variation to the IGF-1 gene, and investigations into cats' dietary preferences. Some research has been conducted with universities and specialist scientific institutions outside the United Kingdom. The institute also has an educational and publishing role. Its earlier magazine, Waltham Focus, evolved into Veterinary Focus, a veterinary publication distributed internationally and in multiple languages. Waltham has also issued books and practical pocket guides concerning companion-animal nutrition, puppy care, healthy weight, and human–animal interaction. Since 2001, the Waltham Foundation has supported humane scientific projects intended to advance companion-animal health and nutrition, although the foundation is distinct from the institute's commercial operating structure. The Waltham site is associated with the care of research animals, including dogs and cats that are adopted after their participation ends. Mars has described the facility as a major science hub for its global pet-care business. The surrounding campus also houses or adjoins Mars offices and has received visits from prominent public figures, including Anne, Princess Royal, Kenneth Clarke, and Prince Andrew. A related Mars research site operates in Verden an der Aller, Germany. Waltham remains active as a scientific resource for Mars Petcare and for veterinary and animal-health professionals, rather than as a separately listed or independently commercialized company.
History
Waltham's history is closely connected with the development of Mars's United Kingdom pet-food business. Mars opened its Melton factory in 1951, establishing a manufacturing base near the later research campus. During the early 1950s, the company began investigating pet nutrition, reflecting the growing importance of scientifically formulated food for dogs and cats. This work was formalized in 1965 through the creation of a Nutrition Research Unit. The research operation was initially located away from its present campus. Mars later adapted an old stud farm at Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Leicestershire, for animal studies and nutrition research. The new site opened in March 1973 as the Animal Studies Department. A dog-kennel block followed in 1975, and by 1977 the organization was being referred to as the Animal Studies Centre. The campus expanded over subsequent decades, adding a puppy unit in 1984 and specialist facilities for aquatic research by the 1990s. The site also experienced physical damage during the severe January 1976 gale, demonstrating that its development took place alongside the practical demands of operating a large rural facility. Waltham's expansion occurred alongside the growth of Mars's national commercial infrastructure. Planning for a new national office complex at Waltham was approved in the late 1970s after a locally controversial process. Construction began in late 1979, the building was completed in December 1980, and the offices opened in January 1981. The complex included office space, a cafeteria, and the Pedigree Petfoods Education Centre. At the time, Mars's United Kingdom pet-food operations held a substantial share of domestic production. A sequence of further buildings was formally opened in 1993 by Anne, Princess Royal. The institute's scientific scope broadened beyond basic food formulation. Its programs addressed nutritional approaches to cancer and cardiovascular risk, joint health, healthy aging, weight management, sensory biology, genetics, and animal behavior. In 2002, researchers developed food-related work concerning arthritis and the use of green-lipped mussel material. In 2005, collaboration with the Monell Chemical Senses Center produced findings about the defective sweet-taste gene shared by domestic cats and other felids. In 2007, work with the National Human Genome Research Institute associated dog-size variation with the IGF-1 gene. Later research examined feline dietary preferences, including findings reported in 2016 concerning protein and fat selection. The organization has also served as a publishing and professional-education platform. Waltham Focus, originally issued as a periodical, later became Veterinary Focus, an international veterinary publication available in several languages and distributed in more than fifty countries according to the reference material. Waltham-associated books and pocket guides have covered companion-animal nutrition, puppy care, healthy weight, and human–animal interaction. Since 2001, the non-charitable Waltham Foundation has funded humane research projects intended to improve companion-animal health and nutrition. The site's use of animals has attracted attention from animal-rights groups, including PETA, particularly in connection with antioxidant research undertaken with the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. The institute states that companion animals involved in its programs are cared for at the facility and adopted after their period of participation. The wider campus has continued to serve as a Mars Petcare science hub, with a related research location in Verden an der Aller, Germany. Public visits by Kenneth Clarke in 1994 and Prince Andrew in 2015 reflected the site's regional and corporate importance. Today, Waltham operates as an active Mars Petcare research institution rather than as a separately listed business or conventional retail brand.
- 2016
Research on feline macronutrient preference
[1]Waltham reports findings on cats' attraction to a diet characterized by approximately 70% protein and 30% fat.
- 2007
Dog-size genetics research reported
[1]A collaboration with the National Human Genome Research Institute links canine size variation to mutations in IGF-1.
- 2005
Feline sweet-taste research published
[1]Collaborative research identifies the genetic explanation for cats' inability to perceive sweetness.
- 2001
Waltham Foundation begins supporting research
[1]The Waltham Foundation begins funding humane projects focused on companion-animal health and nutrition.
- 1981
National offices open at Waltham
[1]Mars opens a new national office complex and associated Pedigree Petfoods Education Centre beside the research operation.
- 1977
Renamed Animal Studies Centre
[1]The site is known by the broader name Animal Studies Centre as its research role develops.
- 1975
Dog kennel facilities added
[1]The campus expands its animal facilities with a dedicated dog-kennel block.
- 1973
Waltham research site opens
[1]An adapted stud-farm site at Waltham-on-the-Wolds opens as the Animal Studies Department.
- 1965
Nutrition Research Unit established
[1]Mars formally creates a Nutrition Research Unit as its pet-nutrition research becomes an organized scientific activity.
- 1951
Melton factory opens
[1]Mars opens its Melton manufacturing facility, establishing the local industrial base from which the later Waltham research operation develops.
Products and positioning
A science-led research hub that develops and communicates evidence on pet nutrition, health, behavior, and care for Mars Petcare and the wider veterinary community.
Veterinary publication
Veterinary Focus
An international veterinary publication that developed from the earlier Waltham Focus magazine. It communicates research and practical knowledge for veterinary professionals and is distributed in multiple countries and languages.
Reference publication · 1993
Waltham Book of Companion Animal Nutrition
A reference work presenting scientific and practical material on the nutritional needs of companion animals. It represents Waltham's role in translating research into professional and educational resources.
Animal-care guides · 2010
Waltham Pocket Book series
A group of concise guides covering subjects such as cat and dog nutrition, puppy nutrition and care, healthy weight maintenance, and human–animal interaction. The series is designed as an accessible technical resource rather than a consumer food line.
Recent events
- 2019
Channel 4 documentary features the Waltham site[1]
Other
A documentary broadcast in August 2019 presented the institute and its work to a general television audience.
- 2007
Collaborative study links canine size variation to IGF-1[1]
Other
Waltham researchers working with the National Human Genome Research Institute reported that mutations in the IGF-1 gene were associated with substantial variation in dog size.
- 2005
Waltham research identifies the genetic basis of cats' inability to taste sweetness[1]
Other
Research conducted with the Monell Chemical Senses Center reported that cats lack a functional gene involved in sweet taste perception. The same trait was identified across the wider feline family.
Sources2 sources
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