Document:

<PAGE>   1

                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1

<TABLE>
<S>             <C>                                       <C>                     <C>                                   <C>

                     INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS                                              COMMON STOCK
                      OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE                                              PAR VALUE $1.00

 NUMBER                                                   [GRAPHIC OF PEOPLE                                            SHARES
HU 38003                                                   AND WORLD GLOBE]

                 THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE IN                                       CUSIP 860372 10 1
                NEW YORK, NY AND RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ                              SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
</TABLE>

                    STEWART INFORMATION SERVICES CORPORATION

THIS CERTIFIES THAT

IS THE OWNER OF

             FULLY PAID AND NONASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF

Stewart Information Services Corporation transferable on the books of the
Corporation by the holder hereof in person or by duly authorized attorney upon
surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. This Certificate and the shares
represented hereby are issued and shall be held subject to all of the provisions
of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, and all amendments
thereto, copies of which are on file with the Transfer Agent, to all of which
the holder hereof by the acceptance of this Certificate assents.

         This Certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the Transfer
         Agent and registered by the Registrar.

         Witness the facsimile seal of the Corporation and the facsimile
         signatures of its duly authorized officers.

                                                          Dated

----------------------------
       PRESIDENT                       COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
                                        CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
                                                                  TRANSFER AGENT
                                                                   AND REGISTRAR

                                       BY
----------------------------              --------------------------------------
       SECRETARY                                              AUTHORIZED OFFICER

<PAGE>   2
                              [BACK OF CERTIFICATE]

                    STEWART INFORMATION SERVICES CORPORATION

  THE CORPORATION WILL FURNISH WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH STOCKHOLDER WHO SO
REQUESTS THE DESIGNATIONS, PREFERENCES AND RELATIVE, PARTICIPATING, OPTIONAL OR
OTHER SPECIAL RIGHTS OF EACH CLASS OF STOCK OR SERIES THEREOF OF THE
CORPORATION, AND THE QUALIFICATIONS, LIMITATIONS OR RESTRICTIONS OF SUCH
PREFERENCES AND/OR RIGHTS. SUCH REQUEST MAY BE MADE TO THE CORPORATION OR TO ITS
TRANSFER AGENT.

  The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this
certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

<TABLE>
<S>                                             <C>
TEN COM  -  as tenants in common                UNIF GIFT MIN ACT  -  ___________ Custodian ___________
TEN ENT  -  as tenants by the entireties                                 (Cust)               (Minor)
JT TEN   -  as joint tenants with right                               under Uniform Gifts to Minors
            of survivorship and not as                                Act______________________________
            tenants in common                                                      (State)

</TABLE>

     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

            For Value Received, _______________________ hereby sell,
                            assign and transfer unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY
OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER
OF ASSIGNEE
------------------------------

------------------------------

________________________________________________________________________________
  (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE)

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________Shares
of the capital stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint

________________________________________________________________________Attorney
to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Corporation with
full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated_________________________________________________

                                        X
                                         ---------------------------------------
NOTICE:  THE  SIGNATURE(S)  TO THIS
ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE
NAME(S) AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF
THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR
WITHOUT  ALTERATION OR  ENLARGEMENT
OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.

                                        X
                                         ---------------------------------------

                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       ALL   GUARANTEES   MUST   BE  MADE  BY  A
                                       FINANCIAL  INSTITUTION (SUCH AS A BANK OR
                                       BROKER)  WHICH  IS A  PARTICIPANT  IN THE
                                       SECURITIES   TRANSFER  AGENTS   MEDALLION
                                       PROGRAM  ("STAMP"),  THE NEW  YORK  STOCK
                                       EXCHANGE,    INC.   MEDALLION   SIGNATURE
                                       PROGRAM  ("MSP"),  OR THE STOCK EXCHANGES
                                       MEDALLION  PROGRAM  ("SEMP") AND MUST NOT
                                       BE DATED.  GUARANTEES  BY A NOTARY PUBLIC
                                       ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.
                                       -----------------------------------------<PAGE>   1
                                                           Exhibit 10.4

                                                           STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

                               FIRST AMENDMENT TO
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
                                     BETWEEN
                             DOANE PET CARE COMPANY
                                       AND
                               PHILIP K. WOODLIEF

      THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this "Amendment") dated as of January 1, 2001
is made between Doane Pet Care Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation,
and Philip K. Woodlief (the "Executive"). This Agreement is made with reference
to the following facts and objectives:

                                    RECITALS

      A. The Company and Executive are parties to that certain Employment
Agreement dated February 15, 1999 (the "Original Agreement").

      B. The Company and Executive desire to amend the Original Agreement to
extend the non-compete period and the severance period for termination without
cause from one year to two years, in accordance with the provisions set forth
below.

      NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the mutual covenants and
agreements herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby
agree as follows:

                                    AGREEMENT

      1. Section 6 of the Original Agreement is hereby amended by deleting the
words "first anniversary" in the fourth line of Section 6 and replacing them
with the words "second anniversary".

      2. Section 9(c)(2) of the Original Agreement is hereby amended by deleting
the words "first anniversary" in the eighth line of subsection (2) and replacing
them with the words "second anniversary".

      3. The Company and Executive hereby ratify, confirm, adopt and approve the
terms of the Original Agreement, except as amended by the terms of this
Amendment.

             - The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank -

<PAGE>   2

      PLEASE NOTE: BY SIGNING THIS AMENDMENT, THE EXECUTIVE IS HEREBY CERTIFYING
THAT THE EXECUTIVE (A) RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS AMENDMENT FOR REVIEW AND STUDY
BEFORE EXECUTING IT; (B) READ THIS AMENDMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING IT; (C)
HAD SUFFICIENT OPPORTUNITY BEFORE SIGNING THIS AMENDMENT TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS
THE EXECUTIVE HAD ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT AND RECEIVED SATISFACTORY ANSWERS TO ALL
SUCH QUESTIONS; (D) UNDERSTANDS THE EXECUTIVE'S RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER
THIS AMENDMENT; AND (E) EXECUTED AND DELIVERED THIS AMENDMENT AT THE OFFICES OF
THE COMPANY IN BRENTWOOD, TENNESSEE.

          EXECUTED AND EFFECTIVE as of the date first written above.

WITNESS:                                  DOANE PET CARE COMPANY

----------------------------------        ------------------------------
                                          Douglas J. Cahill
                                          President & CEO

WITNESS:                                  EXECUTIVE:

----------------------------------        ------------------------------
                                          Philip K. Woodlief<PAGE>   1
                                                           Exhibit 10.6

                                                           STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

                               FIRST AMENDMENT TO
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
                                     BETWEEN
                             DOANE PET CARE COMPANY
                                       AND
                                 DAVID L. HORTON

      THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this "Amendment") dated as of January 1, 2001
is made between Doane Pet Care Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation,
and David L. Horton (the "Executive"). This Agreement is made with reference to
the following facts and objectives:

                                    RECITALS

      A. The Company and Executive are parties to that certain Employment
Agreement dated January 1, 1998 (the "Original Agreement").

      B. The Company and Executive desire to amend the Original Agreement to
extend the non-compete period and the severance period for termination without
cause from one year to two years, in accordance with the provisions set forth
below.

      NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the mutual covenants and
agreements herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby
agree as follows:

                                    AGREEMENT

      1. Section 6 of the Original Agreement is hereby amended by deleting the
words "first anniversary" in the fourth line of Section 6 and replacing them
with the words "second anniversary".

      2. Section 9(c)(2) of the Original Agreement is hereby amended by deleting
the words "first anniversary" in the eighth line of subsection (2) and replacing
them with the words "second anniversary".

      3. The Company and Executive hereby ratify, confirm, adopt and approve the
terms of the Original Agreement, except as amended by the terms of this
Amendment.

             - The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank -

<PAGE>   2
      PLEASE NOTE: BY SIGNING THIS AMENDMENT, THE EXECUTIVE IS HEREBY CERTIFYING
THAT THE EXECUTIVE (A) RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS AMENDMENT FOR REVIEW AND STUDY
BEFORE EXECUTING IT; (B) READ THIS AMENDMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING IT; (C)
HAD SUFFICIENT OPPORTUNITY BEFORE SIGNING THIS AMENDMENT TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS
THE EXECUTIVE HAD ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT AND RECEIVED SATISFACTORY ANSWERS TO ALL
SUCH QUESTIONS; (D) UNDERSTANDS THE EXECUTIVE'S RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER
THIS AMENDMENT; AND (E) EXECUTED AND DELIVERED THIS AMENDMENT AT THE OFFICES OF
THE COMPANY IN BRENTWOOD, TENNESSEE.

           EXECUTED AND EFFECTIVE as of the date first written above.

WITNESS:                                  DOANE PET CARE COMPANY

----------------------------------        ------------------------------
                                          Douglas J. Cahill
                                          President & CEO

WITNESS:                                  EXECUTIVE:

----------------------------------        ------------------------------
                                          David L. Horton

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00022-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00022-of-00352.parquet"}], [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00022-of-00352.parquet"}]]