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OAKVILLE, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 8, 2010) - Pethealth Inc. (TSX:PTZ) ("Pethealth" or the "Company"), the leading provider of companion animal services in North America, is pleased to announce that it has now paid out in excess of $10-million in claims under its ShelterCare gift insurance program, available through more than 1,500 animal welfare organizations in the United States and Canada.

The [ ShelterCare ] gift program was first launched in 2002. The program was designed to meet the unique needs of newly adopted dogs and cats and for animal welfare organisations to incorporate as a value added service in the adoption process. The gift program provides up to 45 days of insurance, covering the seven most common illnesses suffered by [ pets adopted ] from shelters as well as the four most common accidents that occur to [ dogs and cats ] when introduced into a new home environment. Since the launch of the ShelterCare program, over 2,806,774 million adopted dogs and cats have been covered under the program.

Positioned as a gift offered by animal welfare organisations to new pet parents, the program is also designed to help reduce the return rate of adopted animals coming back into shelters. The ShelterCare gift program is exclusive to animal welfare organisations using Pethealth's PetPoint animal management system, the most widely used management software application in North America.

"Having the [ ShelterCare Gift of Pet Insurance ]as part of our adoption package at the Erie County SPCA has not only protected tens of thousands of animals leaving our shelter, but has professionalized our programs, encouraged adoptions, and enhanced our reputation as a first-class place to acquire a pet," said Barbara Carr, Executive Director of Erie County, SPCA.

In 2009, coverage under the program was expanded, allowing adopters to increase coverage from 30 to 45 days and also for those living in rental accommodation to take additional coverage for damage that their newly adopted pet causes to the rental unit.

The success of the gift of insurance program is attributed to the fact that the program enables shelters to redirect their limited financial resources elsewhere rather than having to use them to cover unexpected veterinary fees post-adoption or provide 30-day health guarantees.

"We are extremely proud of the support we provide to animal shelters and adopters. Providing the gift of insurance to [ animals adopted ]from one of our partner shelters has proven to be a vital and valuable piece of the adoption package. By [ covering illnesses and accidents ]that are most typically seen post-adoption, the ShelterCare Gift of Insurance helps to reduce the number of adopted pets returned for health reasons and the amount of time spent having to handle post-adoption health-related incidences," says Mark Warren, President and CEO of Pethealth Inc.

ShelterCare [ pet insurance ] is but one of several brands offered in the United States and Canada by Pethealth, which is now the second largest provider of pet health insurance in North America. Since the Company was founded in 1998 and claims totalling over $125,000,000 million have been paid out to pet owners.

About Pethealth

Pethealth is North America's second largest provider of medical [ insurance for dogs and cats ] to pet owners, operating in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In addition, the Company is the leading provider of management software to North American animal welfare organisations through its SaaS-based application and is the leading provider of pet related database management services to the North American companion animal industry. Pethealth offers a unique range of products and services for veterinarians, shelters and pet owners through a number of wholly owned subsidiaries using a range of brand names including [ PetCare ], [ 24PetWatch ], [ Pet Protect ], [ Petpals Direct ], [ ShelterCare ], [ PetPoint ], [ Petango.com ] and [ ThePetangoStore.com ].

Pethealth is based in Oakville, Ontario. To find out more about Pethealth, visit the web site at [ www.pethealthinc.com ].