Pets to Receive Extra Cheer This Holiday Season with Launch of New Hartz Angry Birds Pet Products

Angry Birds are everywhere aren’t they?

The Angry Birds® craze continues to sweep the nation — and pets are fed up! Having shared their owners’ attention with the popular game since its release in 2009, cats and dogs are begging to take a bite out of the fun. Now they can play too. The Hartz Mountain Corporation, a leader in the pet products industry, is launching an exclusive line of Angry Birds pet toys featuring many of the wildly popular Angry Birds characters just in time for the holidays.

“For more than 80 years, we’ve led the industry in offering affordable, high-quality toys that pets love. Not only do our toys entertain, but they keep pets happy, healthy and active all year round,” says Adam Coacher, Hartz Senior Director of Marketing. “This year, we were thrilled to work with Rovio, the makers of the popular Angry Birds game, to create an exciting line of toys that will bring holiday cheer to pets and pet owners alike. Get into the holiday spirit with your pet by putting down the smartphone and picking up a Hartz® Angry Birds® Flyer™ to enjoy the real-world version of the game with your pet.”

According to the Hartz Pet Trend Report, pet owners may be feeling guilty for not spending enough time with their pets. The report, which polled pet parents to better understand their relationships with their pets, found that seven out of 10 pet owners wish they had more time to play with their pets. With the holidays just around the corner, now is a perfect time to reconnect. The report also found that this holiday season, chew toys for dogs and catnip for cats will top the pet wish list – all of which are available in the Hartz Angry Birds line of toys.

The new line of products will feature six dog toys and four cat toys, with additional collections coming in the near future. Available items include:

• Hartz® Angry B irds® P l ush Ball™ – This 4″ plush ball dog toy comes to life with real Angry Birds game sounds! Choose from the Red Bird, the Yellow Bird or the Green Pig. These products are also available in a 2.5″ version for small dogs.

• Hartz® Angry Birds® Tuff Stuff Flyer™ – This dog toy is double-sided, featuring a red bird on one side and a green pig on the other. Constructed of super-durable ballistic nylon and double stitched seams, this toy can stand up to even the toughest chewers.

• Hartz® Angry Birds® Hard Heads™ – Dogs will appreciate the long-lasting, fun chew experience with these three Angry Birds characters. Each latex toy is equipped with a squeaker and will entertain your pup for hours.

• Hartz® Angry Birds® Birds Gone Crazy™ – Our most popular Hartz Angry Birds cat toy, Birds Gone Crazy will give your feline companion the opportunity to swat, chase, and hunt little angry birds and green pigs, while the bell inside will make your furry friend keep coming back for more.

• Hartz® Angry Bi r ds® W a nd™ – An interactive toy that provides hours of fun for you and your cat. The wand features the Red Bird and a Green Pig along with feathers and a bell.

“Angry Birds is undoubtedly keeping pet parents busy. With 500 million downloads, it is the most downloaded game ever with approximately 300 million minutes spent playing the game each day,” says Peter Vesterbacka, CMO of Rovio. “That’s why our partnership with Hartz will give pets the chance to play, too, this holiday season. Our goal was never to drive a wedge between pets and pet owners – so we’re pleased that we can now bring them back together.”

Now, with Hartz® Angry Birds® toys, pet owners and pets can propel and fetch angry birds and green pigs together. Pet owners can visit Facebook to check out the Angry Birds Toy Preview tab, access fun videos and applications, and enter to win great prizes at Facebook.com/HartzPets.

Hartz® Angry Birds® products are currently available nationwide at mass merchandisers like Walmart, grocery stores and online retailers such as Walmart.com and Amazon.com. The suggested retail prices range from $3.99 to $10.99. For more information about Hartz® Angry Birds® pet toys or to find additional Hartz products, visit www.hartz.com