Hartz Flea and Tick Products Pulled Following Pet Deaths

Hartz Must Relabel Pesticides After Cat Deaths

Thousands of illnesses and deaths in cats and kittens have led to a reissue of some flea and tick products, along with new warning labels and other protective measures.

June 8, 2005 - Hartz Mountain Corp. will stop production of several flea and tick products
that may have caused numerous deaths in cats and kittens.

It includes the following pet product brand names.

• Hartz Advanced Care 4 in 1 Flea & Tick Drops Plus+ for Cats and Kittens
• Hartz Advanced Care Brand Flea and Tick Drops Plus+ for Cats and Kittens
• Hartz Advanced Care 3 in 1 Flea & Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens
• Hartz Advanced Care Once-A-Month Flea and Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens

A few drops of a flea control product that are administered on a pet's back may be
poisoning them because of the toxins inside, which could be too strong for cats.
An insecticide named phenothrin is the primary ingredient found in some flea
and tick products.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that safety concerns stemming
from use of two flea and tick control products for cats and kittens, led the agency to persuade
the Hartz Mountain Corp. to enact measures to reduce potential risks to pets from using
these products.

Under an agreement with the EPA, Hartz has ceased the sale and distribution of Hartz Advanced
Care Brand Flea and Tick Drops Plus for Cats and Kittens and Hartz Advanced Care Brand
Once-a-Month Flea and Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens. The company will recall these products,
and repackage and re-label its existing stock of the pesticides to educate consumers
about their risks.

"EPA sought this agreement due to concerns over safety issues based on thousands of adverse
effects incidents investigated by EPA," the agency said.

Hartz is required to recover, repackage, and re-label currently available stock of the flea and
tick drops and to educate consumers about their risks if applied incorrectly. Hartz will stop all new production of the cat and kitten products by Sept. 30, 2005, and not sell or distribute any affected product after Dec. 31, 2005.

When the new packaging is available in January, Hartz will exchange it for the current packages,
a spokesman said today. This is considered "an orderly product exchange" by the EPA,
not a recall, and the company is permitted to sell those products that are still on the shelves.

In the so-called "stripe-on" procedure now recommended by the company to apply its flea and
tick drops in a stripe down the cat's back, the animals can reach around and lick it from their fur.
The EPA says incident reports ranged from "minor adverse effects including skin irritation or hair
loss at the application site and salivation to more serious effects on the nervous system,
such as tremors (twitching of muscles) and, in some circumstances, severe full body
tremors (convulsion). Unfortunately, in some cases, death has also been reported."

In the new process, the drops are applied at the base of the cat's head. As part of these
changes, Hartz will also include a more detailed precautionary statement on the label.
The company worked closely with the EPA to develop this new packaging and labeling.

To continue to evaluate safety concerns for cats, the EPA is also requiring Hartz to submit an
additional animal safety study conducted by an independent laboratory, and to submit
additional quarterly reports specific to cats, summarizing any incidents of toxic effects
from Hartz products.

The new product labels, which will start appearing on store shelves over the next several
months, will direct users to consult with a veterinarian before use of these products on
debilitated, aged, medicated, pregnant or nursing animals, or animals known to be sensitive
to pesticides. The labels will advise that cats should be monitored after application of the
product and if any adverse symptoms are observed, the animal should be washed with
mild soap and rinsed with water and evaluated by a veterinarian.

The EPA is also requiring Hartz to conduct a consumer education program, which will include
a website, direct mail campaign to pet owners, pet stores and veterinarians on the new safety improvements. If consumers choose to return any of the Hartz products, the company
is expected to exchange it for the relabeled product or refund the purchase price.

The company is also required to improve labeling on individual tubes of the affected
products to help ensure consumers are using them correctly.

Known Adverse Reactions - Any pets that exhibit the warning signs should be taken
for treatment immediately!