Merck Animal Health Urges Owners "Don't Skip The Chip"

MADISON, N.J., June 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On average, one in three cats or dogs will go missing at some point in their lifetime. HomeAgain^®, the Merck Animal Health pet recovery service, is encouraging pet owners to microchip their pets.  Promoting "Don't Skip the Chip," HomeAgain is working to create an even greater awareness of the importance of microchipping to help animal owners. Without proper identification, 90 percent of lost pets are never reunited with the owners¹.

"There is a strong bond between pets and their owners and when a pet is lost, it can be devastating for the owner," says Kathy Heaney, D.V.M., Director, Technical Services for Merck Animal Health Companion Animal Business Unit. "Microchipping may be one of the most important measures an owner can take to help ensure the safety of a pet. It's quick and safe and provides a much greater chance of a pet and owner being reunited. We're encouraging pet owners 'Don't Skip the Chip'."

Microchipping a cat or dog is a simple procedure and can be done during a routine visit to the veterinary clinic. The microchip, which is similar in size to a grain of rice, is injected under the loose skin between the shoulder blades and takes only a few seconds. Most pets do not react any more than they would to a vaccination.

After the procedure, it is vital to register the microchip in a national recovery database such as the HomeAgain National Pet Recovery Database to link a pet with the owner's personal contact information. In addition, pet owners must update their contact information in the database, as needed, as this is the primary tool used when working to reunite a lost or stolen pet with its owner. Virtually all veterinary clinics and animal shelters are equipped with scanners that can read the microchip to identify the pet.

Since inception, HomeAgain has reunited more than 1 million pets with their owners and that number continues to grow. For additional information about microchipping, as well as heartwarming stories of owners and pets that have been reunited through HomeAgain, visit www.homeagain.com.

1. National Council on Pet Population Study & Policy. The shelter statistics survey, 1994-97. www.petpopulation.org/statsurvey.html. Accessed December 9, 2014.

About Merck Animal Health

Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, is the global animal health business unit of Merck. Through its commitment to the Science of Healthier Animals, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter at @MerckAH.

Merck forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; Merck's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Merck's 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov).

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SOURCE Merck Animal Health