Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health Announces Partnership With Service Dog Nonprofit

ROSELAND, N.J., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health today announced a new partnership with the National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS), a national nonprofit organization that trains dogs to serve individuals who are deaf or physically disabled. These dogs become an extension of their owners and bring security, independence and relief from social isolation to their human partners. Established in 1976, NEADS operates the oldest continuing hearing dog program in the country and is one of the country's largest service dog programs.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/intervet/42033/

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100119/NY39007 )

The partnership, "Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health Meets NEADS," will enable NEADS to expand its capacity and help an increasing number of people. The company is supporting NEADS through financial contributions, animal healthcare product donations and a campaign to raise awareness about the ways service dogs improve the quality of people's lives.

"We are proud to support NEADS in its efforts to help people cope with life's challenges through canine assistance and companionship," said Paul Casady, vice president & general manager, USA, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. "There are strong parallels between the protection NEADS dogs provide and our company's mission to protect the health and well-being of companion animals. This is demonstrated through our pet identification and recovery system, HomeAgain®, as well as pioneering animal health products such as the first vaccine to fight canine influenza virus, H3N8."

"For the individuals we serve, having an assistance dog at their side enables them to lead full, active lives," Candi Hitchcock, chief operations officer for NEADS. "We are grateful to Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health for supporting our efforts to meet the needs of more people whose lives could be enhanced through canine assistance or who could benefit from the therapeutic value of a dog."

In addition to training dogs to assist the hearing impaired, NEADS runs the Canines for Combat Veterans program to help members of the armed forces who have been injured or traumatized. It also trains assistance dogs that provide balance and stability to people who have difficulty standing or walking without support. Many of the dogs provide a comforting and calming presence to residents and patients in nursing homes as well as students or adults in special needs classrooms, group homes and other situations.

About Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, based in Boxmeer, the Netherlands, is focused on the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of animal health products. The company offers customers one of the broadest, most innovative animal health portfolios, spanning products to support performance and to prevent, treat and control disease in all major farm and companion animal species. Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health is a fully owned business unit of Merck & Co., Inc., based in Whitehouse Station NJ, USA. For more information about Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health visit: www.intervet.com and www.merck.com.

About Merck

Today's Merck is working to help the world be well. Through our medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer and animal products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching programs that donate and deliver our products to the people who need them.  Merck.  Be Well.  For more information, visit www.merck.com

SOURCE Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health