History
Dr. Mark L. Morris aspired to improve the health of dogs and cats, and by using advances in human medicine, he became a pioneer of veterinary medicine in regards to diagnostics and nutrition. In 1928, he established the Raritan Hospital for Animals in Edison, New Jersey, the second companion animal hospital in the country.
Dr. Morris discovered during the Great Depression that dogs who were fed low amounts of protein, or low-quality protein, developed kidney failure. In response to this discovery, Dr. Morris formulated Raritan Ration B, a special mix of high-quality proteins that could be mixed into dog food at home. The result was that Raritan greatly increased the health of dogs.
The Morris Animal Foundation was started by Dr. Morris in 1939. He credits the inspiration to start the foundation to meeting Morris Frank, an ambassador for the Seeing Eye foundation, and his guide dog Buddy II. Frank’s guide dog was suffering from kidney failure, was treated by Dr. Morris and fed the Raritan Ration B, and Buddy II’s health improved dramatically. Frank then helped Dr. Morris obtain a canning machine, and they began canning the prescription formula. In 1948, they partnered with Hill Packing Co. (now Hill’s Science Diet) to make and distribute the special kidney diet. A portion of proceeds from the sales went to establish the non-profit Buddy Foundation, later renamed the Morris Animal Foundation, dedicated to researching the health needs and nutrition of animals. Today, the Morris Animal Foundation is a renowned leader in veterinary advances, and the largest non-profit foundation in the world for companion animal nutrition.
Celebration
In celebration of 65 years of improving animal health, the Morris Animal Foundation will be hosting the Gala of Hope — An Evening with Betty White, on October 19, 2013. This black tie event will be held in Marina Del Rey at the Ritz Carlton, and will highlight the work of the Morris Animal Foundation, along with the lifelong commitment of Betty White to improve the lives of animals. Festivities will include dinner, music, silent and live auctions, and fun. In addition to raising money through the silent and live auction events, the Morris Animal Foundation also allowed gala attendees to bid on eBay to attend the gala with Betty White as their guest! The bidding started at $1500, and the winning bid was $10,300. The winning bidder will receive 2 round-trip airfare tickets, a one-night hotels stay, and VIP tickets to the gala, where they and a guest will sit at the same table as Betty White. Regular tickets to the gala can be purchased by visiting the Morris Animal Foundation website.
Join us in congratulating the Morris Animal Foundation on their 65th anniversary!