Zoetis Inc. (/zō-EH-tis/) is an American company that makes medicines and vaccines for pets and farm animals. It was once part of Pfizer, the world's largest drug company, but became independent after Pfizer separated its 83% ownership in 2013. Zoetis sells its products directly in about 45 countries and distributes them in more than 100 countries. Half of the company's total income comes from operations outside the United States. In June 2013, when Zoetis became independent, S&P Dow Jones Indices announced that Zoetis would take the place of First Horizon National Corporation in the S&P 500 stock market index.
History
In the 1950s, Pfizer started studying several medicines, including oxytetracycline, which worked well for animals used in farming. In 1952, the Pfizer Agriculture Division opened a research center in Terre Haute, Indiana, called Vigo. By 1988, this division was renamed Pfizer Animal Health.
In 1995, Pfizer bought Norden Laboratories from GlaxoSmithKline, which helped the company expand into caring for small animals, such as pets. Additional research centers were opened in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 2003. That same year, Pfizer purchased Pharmacia Corporation for US$60 billion in stock. Between 2007 and 2011, the company acquired several businesses, including Embrex Inc, Catapult Genetics, Bovigen, Wyeth, Fort Dodge Animal Health, Vetnex Animal Health Ltd, Synbiotics Corporation, Microtek, King Pharmaceuticals, and Alpharma.
In 2012, Pfizer officially announced plans to separate its animal health division into a new company named Zoetis. The name comes from the Greek word "zoetic," meaning "related to life."
Zoetis Inc. made more than $4.2 billion in 2011 and $4.34 billion in 2012. The global animal health industry is estimated to be worth about US$22 billion.
On May 22, 2013, The Wall Street Journal reported that Pfizer planned to sell most of its ownership in Zoetis. Shareholders could exchange their Pfizer shares for Zoetis shares. This sale matched Pfizer’s goal to reduce costs, raise money, and pay off debt. JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs & Co., and Morgan Stanley were the main underwriters for the sale.
In November 2014, investor Bill Ackman revealed that his company, Pershing Square Capital Management, owned 8.5% of Zoetis, which increased the company’s stock price to its highest level since its initial public offering (IPO). On November 17, Zoetis announced it would buy a collection of pet drugs from Abbott Laboratories for about $255 million.
In August 2025, Soros Capital Management purchased shares in Zoetis.
Pfizer officially registered a Class A stock with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on August 10, 2012. Zoetis’ IPO on February 1, 2013, sold 86.1 million shares for US$2.2 billion. The stock price rose 19% that day to $35.01 per share, up from $26. At the time, it was the largest IPO by a U.S. company since Facebook’s $16 billion IPO in 2012. Pfizer kept 414 million Class B shares, giving it an 83% controlling interest in Zoetis. Investors were drawn to Zoetis’ high profit margins and confidence in its future growth. JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley were the lead underwriters. Most of the IPO funds were used to pay off Pfizer’s debt.
In November 2015, Zoetis bought Pharmaq, a company that develops treatments for aquatic animals, for $765 million. In 2017, Zoetis acquired Nexvet, an Irish company focused on biologics, and KL Automation, a robotics firm.
In May 2018, Zoetis announced it would buy Abaxis for $1.9 billion in cash.
In August 2021, Zoetis purchased Jurox, expanding its presence in New Zealand, the U.S., Canada, and the UK. In June 2022, Zoetis acquired Basepaws, a genetics company.
In September 2023, Zoetis bought Petmedix, a UK-based company, to provide pet owners with species-specific antibody therapies.
Products
Zoetis has 28 manufacturing sites in 11 countries. Each site follows safety rules for chemicals and germs. Many research and development operations are located near manufacturing sites. This teamwork helps bring new products to market faster. Zoetis uses advanced and modern manufacturing methods. It builds on 60 years of history from Pfizer. Zoetis products include:
2025 Bird Flu outbreak in the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has allowed Zoetis to use its bird flu vaccine for poultry under certain conditions. Since April 2024, about 70 people in the United States have caught bird flu, with one person dying. Most of these cases happened among farm workers who came into contact with sick birds or cows. Wyoming health officials recently found the first human case of H5N1 in the state, which was the third time someone in the country was hospitalized because of the virus. A special permission is given in emergencies or unusual situations for a short time. In January 2025, the USDA announced plans to restock their supply of bird flu vaccines for poultry. These vaccines will match the type of virus that is affecting both farmed and wild birds, similar to actions taken during large outbreaks in 2014 and 2015.