·         Thomas Pasdo, DVM, of Arboretum View Animal Hospital tends to the medical needs of the Chicago Police Department Canine Unit

·         Novartis Animal Health donates one-year supply of combination heartworm, intestinal worm, and flea medication to each member of the Canine Unit treated by Dr. Pasdo

CHICAGO, IL (November 17, 2009) – Novartis Animal Health US, Inc., announced the donation supplies of Sentinel^® (milbemycin oxime/lufenuron) Flavor Tabs^®, the company’s popular heartworm, intestinal worm and flea preventive, to Thomas Pasdo, DVM, of Arboretum View Animal Hospital. Dr. Pasdo will use the product with the members of the Chicago Police Department’s Canine Unit. The donation is a gesture of thanks for the hard work and dedication that the dogs and handlers of the Canine Unit provide to the Chicago metropolitan area.

Arboretum View Animal Hospital in Downers Grove has a long history of contributing medical assistance to the Chicago Police Department’s Canine Unit, but the hospital’s involvement with the Canine Unit grew immensely about five years ago. Dr. Pasdo and his colleagues from Arboretum View hosted a canine first aid seminar for handlers of working dogs in the area, including several police dog handlers. After attending Dr. Pasdo’s presentation, the Police Department soon granted more medical care responsibilities for the Canine Unit to Arboretum View Animal Hospital. When Dr. Pasdo began treating dogs from the Canine Unit, there were only a handful of dogs in his care. This year, Dr. Pasdo will treat approximately 100 dogs from the Canine Unit and local municipalities.

“These dogs do a lot for the community,” said Dr. Pasdo. “They will take a bullet for their handlers and their devotion is amazing. They provide an extraordinary service to us, and we’re happy to return that service to them.”

The dogs in the Canine Unit live in their handlers’ homes and venture into various locations when on duty, ranging from neighborhood streets to wooded areas. The diverse locations that the dogs encounter present an increased risk of contracting heartworms, fleas and intestinal worms throughout the year. The preventive Sentinel Flavor Tabs program gives handlers the peace of mind that their dogs are protected and may help to prevent zoonosis, or the transmission of diseases or parasites like roundworms and hookworms from animals to humans.

Dr. Pasdo stated that the Canine Unit continually grows as more dogs are brought into the force each year. He began attending training sessions for SWAT and EMT canine handlers to teach them first aid tactics for their dogs as well. As the number of dogs entering the Canine Unit grows, so does the number of patients for Arboretum View Animal Hospital. Although the group is one that the hospital passionately supports, the ability to supply all the dogs with necessary care becomes more challenging to fund.

“The tough economic situation that this country is in means that every little bit of assistance that we receive makes a huge difference,” said Dr. Pasdo. “The Sentinel [(milbemycin oxime/lufenuron) Flavor Tabs] donation from Novartis is certainly a big help in ensuring our ability to provide proper care for the Chicago Police Department Canine Unit.”

Note:

Dogs must be tested for heartworm prior to use. In a small percentage of treated dogs, digestive, neurologic and skin side effects may occur. For full product information, please visit http://www.sentinelpet.com/product_insert.pdf or call 1-800-332-2761.

About Novartis Animal Health

Novartis Animal Health researches, develops and commercializes leading animal treatments that meet the needs of pet owners, farmers and veterinarians. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Animal Health conducts business in 40 countries and employs 2,600 people worldwide. For more information, please consult http://www.ah.novartis.com.

About Novartis

Novartis provides healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Focused solely on healthcare, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines, diagnostic tools and consumer health products. Novartis is the only company with leading positions in these areas. In 2008, the Group’s continuing operations achieved net sales of USD 41.5 billion and net income of USD 8.2 billion. Approximately USD 7.2 billion was invested in R&D activities throughout the Group. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 99,000 full-time-equivalent associates and operate in more than 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

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For more information, contact:

Mickey McDermott                          

Novartis Animal Health Communications

(336) 387-3924 (office)

(336) 636-1686 (mobile)

mickey.mcdermott@novartis.com

or

Julie Groce

Novartis Animal Health Communications

(336) 387-1080 (office)

(336) 601-8079 (mobile)

julie.groce@novartis.com

Sentinel and Flavor Tabs are registered trademarks of Novartis AG. For further information, contact Novartis Animal Health US, Inc., Customer Relations Department, 3200 Northline Avenue, Ste. 300, Greensboro, NC 27408; 1-800-843-3386.

© 2009 Novartis Animal Health US, Inc.