history
“For years, animals have been used for medical research into human ills, and now it’s time that something was done for the animals themselves.” –Dr. Mark L. Morris, Sr.
Mark L. Morris Sr. founded Morris Animal Foundation in 1948. Dr. Morris was a veterinarian, humanitarian, and visionary who pioneered advancements in nutrition and the development of today’s quality dog food. Sadly, back in the 1930s and ’40s commercial dog food usually included only the most wretched ingredients. In some instances, dogs were actually sickened by these foods. In many cases, due to the lack of nutritional value in the food, dogs suffered from chronic malnutrition and its terrible, painful effects.
One of Dr. Morris’s first patients was Buddy, among the first guide dogs in the United States. Buddy was suffering from kidney failure. Morris Frank, Buddy’s owner, was a blind man and national ambassador for The Seeing Eye, the oldest guide dog school in the country. He heard of Dr. Morris’s success in nutrition and sought him out in a desperate effort to save his dog’s life. Dr. Morris devised a special diet for Buddy, and Dr. Morris’s wife, Louise, personally packaged the meals in their garage.
Due to the new diet, Buddy’s health dramatically improved. Word spread quickly among veterinarians and others. Dr. and Louise Morris began a small canning operation from their kitchen and garage but could not keep up with the spiraling demand. Dr. Morris met with Burton Hill, owner of the Hill Packing Company, and the two teamed up to produce Dr. Morris’s innovative dog food for sale by veterinarians. This agreement inspired what is today the line of Prescription Diet® pet foods, manufactured by Hill’s Pet Nutrition and available exclusively through veterinarians. Read more about Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
The contract between Dr. Morris and Mr. Hill stipulated that a percentage of the price of every can sold would go to the newly formed Buddy Foundation, named in honor of Morris Frank’s beloved Seeing Eye dog. This later became known as Morris Animal Foundation. Royalties to MAF ended in the late 1960’s. The financial agreement enabled Dr. Morris to establish his dream — a foundation where animals were #1, and their welfare and health the sole, unwavering focus.
His vision continues to this day, and MAF is concerned with the complete spectrum of pet and wildlife health issues such as cancer, diabetes, heart and renal diseases, and many others.
