Holding in Company

Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC
8 March 2001


                  DECHRA PHARMACEUTICALS PLC (THE 'COMPANY')                  
                                                                              
                              Holding in Company                              

The Company received notification on 8 March 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
1,539,000 shares in the Company, which represents 3.09 per cent. of the issued
share capital.