Sanofi, Merck prep for animal health sales

By Tracy Staton Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY) and Merck (NYSE: MRK) are interviewing investment banks to handle the selloff of some animal health assets. The companies are rejoining forces on the animal health side, and to gain regulatory approval for their $5.3 billion combo, they'll probably have to divest some products. The sales are likely to be the last major chance for animal health players to pick up significant assets at a single go, Reuters notes.

Consultants from Vetnosis say the combo company may have to shed business that makes up as much as 12 percent of annual sales--that's $650 million--to make antitrust regulators happy. Areas of overlap include vaccines for everything from pets to poultry; parasite-control products, such as flea and tick treatments; and specialty vet drugs.

Merck's animal health operations--Intervet, gained through the Schering-Plough merger--has a strong line-up of livestock products, whereas Sanofi's Merial is more pet-oriented, Reuters reports.

Potential buyers include other Big Pharma players who have animal health businesses, such as Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) and Novartis (NYSE:NVS); it's unclear at this point whether the new joint venture will want to spin off assets in one big deal or through a series of smaller ones.

Either way, it's a big opportunity for the right buyers, a Vetnosis consultant tells the news service. "This is ... the last opportunity for players wishing to scale up through the acquisition of major brands with strong market positions," explains managing director Tim Evans, "and the final chance to attain a competitive position in the important veterinary vaccines category." And given pharma's drive to diversify, we could see some competition for those competitive products.

- get the Reuters story
Related Articles:
Sanofi, Merck to reunite animal health ops
Merck CEO talks up new Merial J.V.
Sanofi sinks $4B into animal health
Deadline looms for Sanofi-Merck vet combo
Read more about: Sanofi-Aventis, Merck, Animal health

Brit Busted at Washington State Animal Sex Farm for Lying to Gov on Visa;

Someone should shut down that Bestiality Farm in Washington State! If not us, then who,... and when?


Feds charge British bestiality tourist with lies

SEATTLE (AP) - There's no federal law against having sex with dogs, but there is one against lying on government documents.

Prosecutors say a zoophilic British tourist broke that law when he wrote on a visa waiver application that he had never been convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude and wasn't entering the U.S. to engage in criminal or immoral activities.

Stephen Clarke was arrested last month in Washington state at what investigators say was a farm where visitors could have sex with animals.

Investigators found videos of Clarke having sex with dogs, and he pleaded guilty to animal abuse in state court Tuesday. He was charged Friday in U.S. District Court with lying on his application for a visa waiver that allowed him to stay in the country for 90 days.



http://www.mynorthwest.com/category/local_news_articles/20100514/Feds-charge-British-bestiality-tourist-with-lies/

PUPPY KILLER RELOCATES TO QUEENS.

Subject: PUPPY KILLER RELOCATES TO QUEENS. PLEASE CROSS POST WIDE AND FAR
TO ALL RESCUES, SHELTERS, VETS, GROOMERS, PET STORES, ETC.

PLEASE CROSS POST. DETAILS BELOW. THANK YOU.

Convicted puppy killer Oleg Zhdanov and his girlfriend Tanya Becker,
formerly of 320 West 56th Street, Apt. 3G, New York, NY have recently moved
to an apartment in Queens near the Stadium.

Oleg Zhdanov was arrested in 2005 for beating his adopted puppy to death,
was dismissed from a jail sentence and given 3 years probation. He was then
charged with violating his probation by having two cats in his apartment and
served jail time for probation violation. He is now free to have animals.

Zhdanov resides with his longtime girlfriend Tanya Becker who is employed at
Creature Features pet store located in Manhattan's East Village and gets pet
sitting referrals from the store owner, Simon Becker.

Please cross post wide and far and put on all DNA lists.

(See below photos and recent New York Daily News press link and related
links).

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10132007/news/regionalnews/sick_puppy_cage.htm

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/2007/08/12/2007-08-12_puppy_killer_collared_with_exotic_cats-1.html

http://www.pet-abuse.com/cases/6250/

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01172007/news/regionalnews/pup_killer_may_avoid_cage_regionalnews_heidi_singer.htm

http://poopcity.typepad.com/poop_city/2007/01/earlier_this_we.html

Vet School to Study Animal Abandonment

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=73cb654079&view=att&th=12892dd175bbc9d1&attid=0.1&disp=vah&zw

Chipotle a HSUS Supporter

Info borrowed from a disgruntled cattle-growers blog;
http://cdycattle.blogspot.com/2010/05/chipotle-i-am-sorry-but-its-official.html

International Boycott Against "All Things" Supporting Horse Slaughter Officially Begins Today

http://friendsofequines.webs.com/

Pet News from Sue Thixton's Truth About Pet Food Blog

Dr. Phil Confronts Animal Abusers
Dr. Phil’s show today, Tuesday May 11, 2010 is confronting animal abusers. Thanks Dr. Phil for bringing animal abuse to America’s attention.
http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/dr-phil-confronts-animal-abusers.html

Big Industry too big to Stop
A recent CNN investigation discovered Pfizer too big to nail for selling drugs without FDA approval. Pfizer paid a fine, but escaped true prosecution literally because of the massive size of the company. With numerous multi-national mega corporations buying into pet food, is Big Pet Food untouchable just like Big Pharma?
http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/big-industry-too-big-to-stop.html

FDA Warning Letter regarding Diabetic Pet Drug
FDA warning letter to Intervet Inc. (division of Merck & Co) states Intervet did not report adverse drug events of Vetsulin as required by law. The FDA warning letter was posted May 4, 2010. Caution to pet owners of diabetic dogs and cats.
http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/fda-warning-letter-regarding-diabetic-pet-drug.html

Report states National Policy lacking to Protect Humans from Environmental Risks
While the President’s Cancer Panel 2008-2009 Annual Report Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk did not mention any specific risks or recommended action for animals, there is much to learn from this report. Certainly our pets are just as much at risk from environmental hazards as humans and as pointed out in this report, much needs to be done to protect all of us.

http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/report-states-national-policy-lacking-to-protect-humans-from-environmental-risks.html

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Truth about Pet Food
Petsumer Report
www.TruthaboutPetFood.com

What's in Your Pet's Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients? Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the 'rest of the story' on over 1700 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. For each review you'll discover if ingredients are U.S. only or imported, human quality meat or pet grade meat, shelf life, red flag or risk ingredients, and recall history. New reviews added monthly. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee.
http://www.PetsumerReport.com