Sergeant’s has been a leader in the pet industry for over one hundred years, earning pet lover’s trust with quality products from day one. Our roots go all the way back to Polk Miller’s drugstore in Richmond, Virginia in 1868. Today, with over 400 pet products, we continue our commitment to excellence and to meeting your pet’s needs.

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Sergeant's Pet Care Products, Inc. is one of America’s oldest, best-known, and most respected manufacturers and marketers of pet supplies. Founded in 1868 in Richmond, Virginia Sergeant's has been based in Omaha, Nebraska since 1989.

The Sergeant’s® brand is one of the icons in the United States pet supplies industry. Among consumers, the Sergeant’s brand is one of the most widely recognized brands in the pet supplies category with significant brand equity. The brand carries a reputation among consumers for dependable, reliable and quality products.

History: Sergeant's was founded in 1868 by a pharmacist, Polk Miller, who formulated various health care products, such as skin and coat remedies, in his pharmacy, first for his own dogs and then for others. When Mr. Miller began to sell the products from his drug store, he named them after one of his favorite dogs, “Sergeant.”

Sergeant’s has long been an innovator and leader in developing and marketing health care products for pets. With “Condition Pills” in the 1890, mange medicine in 1902, vitamins for dogs early in the 1900’s, and wormers and other remedies in the 1920’s, Sergeant's has led the way for health care for dogs and cats.

The company introduced various improved flea and tick products throughout the first half of the twentieth century with sprays, powders and shampoos. Sergeant's played the key role in the invention of flea collars and introduced them to the market in 1962. It was a leader in the 1990’s with the introduction of over-the-counter pest control squeeze-on topical products. Today the firm is well known for its Sergeant's Skip Flea® Shampoo, America’s favorite flea and tick shampoo. The health care innovations continue, with recent introductions including shampoos with skin care benefits and nutraceutical products with proven performance and benefits.

Following the death of the founder, Polk Miller, the company went through several ownership changes. For many years, Sergeant's was part of A.H. Robins, a large Richmond-based pharmaceuticals company. In 1989, Sergeant's was acquired by ConAgra Foods, of Omaha, Neb. and combined with another pet supplies company, Geisler Pet Products, also owned at the time by ConAgra. Since September 2000, Sergeant's Pet Care Products, has been an independent, privately owned company.

With the legacy of its founder, a pharmacist, and after many years as part of a large pharmaceutical firm, Sergeant is widely known for its health care and flea and tick products. But today Sergeant’s is also a leading marketer of grooming shampoos, natural and formulated treats, toys, accessories, and bird and small animal products.

Sergeant's Pet Care Products Historical Timeline
1868	Polk Miller opens a drug store in Richmond, Virginia and as an avid outdoorsman begins formulating and selling health care products for hunting dogs as a side line.
1888	Max Geisler arrives in Omaha, Nebraska from Bremen, Germany to handle a family business matter, decides to stay, and begins to import canaries from Germany for sale in the USA. This business ultimately became the Geisler brand of bird seed, now part of Sergeant's.
1886	The trade name “Sergeant’s” is adopted for Mr. Miller’s animal remedies and sales spread to other drug stores throughout the Southeast USA. Advertising begins in various national magazines.
1913	Polk Miller dies. The brand name Sergeant's has become widely known throughout the region.
1919	The Miller family sells the Sergeant's business to a business partnership and the company is renamed Polk Miller Products Company. During this period the product line is expanded to include vitamins, general conditioners, dog food, wormers and skin and coat remedies.
1928	Sergeant's medicines and dog food are chosen for the sled dogs used by the Commander Richard Byrd expedition to the South Pole.
1929	Sergeant's has become a nationally known brand of pet supplies.
1940's	Sergeant's develops and introduces Skip® Flea Shampoo, which eventually becomes America’s favorite flea and tick shampoo.
1962	Sergeant's invents and introduces flea collars for dogs.
1967	The Sergeant's business, led by the Sergeant's Sentry flea collar line, is purchased by A.H. Robins.
1968	Sergeant's of Canada is established.
1970's	Sergeant's expands distribution through grocery stores across America.
1989	Sergeant's is acquired by ConAgra.
2000	Sergeant's is established as an independent, closely held company.
2001	Sergeant's acquires the Pet Life Foods pet treats business
2004	The Sun Pet Toys business is acquired by Sergeant's.