Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT)(NASDAQ: CENTA) today announced the appointment of Sherry Perley to the position of Vice President – Human Resources reporting to William E. Brown, Central’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

“I am very pleased that Sherry is joining Central,” commented Mr. Brown. “Sherry brings to the Company extensive global business experience with leading branded products companies. She will be a valuable member of the management team as we pursue new growth strategies and manage change.”

Prior to joining Central Ms. Perley was the vice president of human resources at Arc International and its leading tabletop brand Mikasa. She has also held senior human resource positions for leading branded products companies including Warnaco, Cadbury Schweppes, Snapple and Nine West Group.

Ms. Perley holds a Bachelor of Science degree from George Mason University and a Master’s degree in Business from Webster University.

Ms. Perley succeeds Stanley L. Bulger who will continue to be responsible for Safety, Health & Environment, Real Estate and other special projects for the Company.

“Sherry will work closely with Stan to ensure a smooth transition,” concluded Mr. Brown. “I want to thank Stan for his loyal service and continued support of Central.”

Central Garden & Pet Company is a leading innovator, marketer and producer of quality branded products for the lawn & garden and pet supplies markets. Committed to new product innovation, our products are sold to specialty independent and mass retailers. Participating categories in Lawn & Garden include: Grass seed including the brands PENNINGTON®, SMART SEED^TM and THE REBELS™; wild bird feed and the brands PENNINGTON® and KAYTEE®; weed and insect control and the brands AMDRO®, SEVIN®, IRONITE® and Over ‘N Out®; and decorative outdoor patio products and the brands NORCAL®, NEW ENGLAND POTTERY® and MATTHEWS FOUR SEASONS™. We also provide a host of other regional and application-specific garden brands and supplies. Participating categories in Pet include: Animal health and the brands ADAMS™ and ZODIAC®; aquatics and reptile and the brands OCEANIC®, AQUEON® and ZILLA®; bird & small animal and the brands KAYTEE®, SUPER PET® and CRITTER TRAIL®; dog & cat and the brands TFH™, NYLABONE®, FOUR PAWS®, PINNACLE® and Avoderm®; and equine and the brands FARNAM®, BRONCO® and SUPER MASK®. We also provide a host of other application-specific Pet brands and supplies. Central Garden & Pet Company is based in Walnut Creek, California, and has approximately 5,000 employees, primarily in North America and Europe. For additional information on Central Garden & Pet Company, including access to the Company's SEC filings, please visit the Company’s website at www.central.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained in this release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks are described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed November 26, 2008, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Central undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise.