Holding in Company

Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC
31 October 2001


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     31 October 2001


                  DECHRA PHARMACEUTICALS PLC (the 'Company')

                            Holding in the Company


The Company received notification on 25 October 2001, in accordance with the
provisions of sections 198-202 Companies Act 1985 (as amended by the Companies
Act 1989), that Zurich Financial Services and its Group have an interest in
2,998,000 ordinary 1p shares in the Company, which represents 6.0 per cent. of
the Company's issued ordinary share capital.