Shawnee, Kan.; February 9, 2010. Bayer HealthCare, LLC, Animal Health Division, today announced that in March 2010 it will expand its sales channel and begin selling Advantage® Topical Solution (Dog), Advantage® Topical Solution (Cat) and K9 Advantix® directly to pet specialty retailers and pet specialty Internet sites to remain competitive in a rapidly changing business environment. Bayer also announced it will launch a multi-million dollar national, consumer print advertising campaign promoting the importance of veterinary visits as well as a “March Back In” $20 pet owner rebate program designed to drive return visits to veterinary clinics.

“We continue to view veterinarians as our most important partner in caring for pets and we remain deeply committed to supporting veterinarians, their practices and the vital role they play in achieving our shared mission of protecting, curing and caring,” said Joerg Ohle, President and General Manager of Bayer Animal Health.

The diversion of popular flea and tick products from the veterinary channel has been a growing issue as consumers have continued to change their buying habits and preferences. Pet owners are increasingly demanding more convenient access to flea and tick products such as Advantage® and K9 Advantix®. Additionally, market research shows pet owners intend to increase their purchases of flea and tick treatments at pet specialty stores and pet specialty  Internet sites. 

Bayer Increasing Support for Veterinarians and the Industry
“We cannot stress enough how committed we remain to veterinarians and we intend to build on our long-standing partnerships with new investments in programs and promotions to support their practices, the profession and the industry,” added Ohle.

Bayer will launch a multi-million dollar national, consumer print advertising campaign promoting the importance of veterinary visits. The print ads will appear in magazines targeted to pet owners. Point-of-purchase materials for pet specialty stores are also being developed to educate pet owners about the importance of veterinary visits.

Building on the success of Bayer’s 2009 “Help Your Pet Get to the Vet” campaign, Bayer will introduce a “March Back In”  $20 pet owner rebate program to drive return visits to veterinary clinics.  To qualify, pet owners need to purchase any Advantage® Family flea and tick treatment from a licensed veterinarian during the month of March and return to the same veterinary clinic for any preventive or treatment service by December 31, 2010. To receive their $20 rebate from Bayer, pet owners simply need to complete the “March Back In” original rebate form by January 31, 2011 and mail it to Bayer along with the original receipts for both veterinary visits.   

Bayer Animal Health is also increasing its financial support of the industry through key associations including the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. 

For more information about the Advantage® Family of products and Bayer Animal Health, please visit http://petparents.com/.