POWER OF ATTORNEY
The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Glenn W. Novotny and Stuart W. Booth, and 
each of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:
(1)        execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's capacity as an officer, 
director, and/or person who holds more than 10% of the stock of Central Garden & Pet 
Company (the "Company"), Forms 3, Forms 4 and Forms 5 in accordance with 
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), 
and the rules thereunder;
(2)        do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which may be 
necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Forms 3, Forms 4 or Forms 5 
and timely file any such forms with the United States Securities and Exchange 
Commission and any other authority; and
(3)        take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing which, in 
the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally 
required by, the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such 
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned, pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be 
in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may 
approve in his or her discretion.
The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to 
do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary or proper to be done 
in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes 
as the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or 
revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or his or her substitute 
or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done pursuant to this power of attorney.  The 
undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the 
request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the 
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the undersigned is no 
longer required to file Forms 3, Forms 4, and Forms 5 with respect to the undersigned's holdings 
of and transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the 
undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the attorneys-in-fact.
The undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 8th day of 
November, 2005.

  /s/ Bradley P. Johnson        
Signature
Bradley P. Johnson
Print Name