Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
CROCKER DOUGLAS II
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
VENTAS INC [VTR] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
71 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 3400		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/10/2008
(Street)

CHICAGO, IL 60606		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 01/10/2008   M   10,000 A $ 10.8125 68,111.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   M   3,000 A $ 12.1875 71,111.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   M   3,000 A $ 4 74,111.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   M   4,000 A $ 3.3125 78,111.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   M   5,000 A $ 5.875 83,111.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   M   5,000 A $ 11.86 88,111.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   M   5,000 A $ 11.45 93,111.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.58 93,011.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.59 92,911.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.6 92,811.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   400 D $ 41.61 92,411.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.62 92,311.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.64 92,211.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   200 D $ 41.65 92,011.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.66 91,911.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   900 D $ 41.67 91,011.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   300 D $ 41.69 90,711.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   300 D $ 41.7 90,411.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   400 D $ 41.71 90,011.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.72 89,911.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   300 D $ 41.73 89,611.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   200 D $ 41.74 89,411.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.75 89,311.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   400 D $ 41.76 88,911.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   200 D $ 41.77 88,711.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.78 88,611.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.79 88,511.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.8 88,411.734 D  
Common Stock 01/10/2008   S(1)   2,200 D $ 41.81 86,211.734 D  
Common Stock (2) 01/10/2008   S(1)   100 D $ 41.82 86,111.734 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 10.8125 01/10/2008   M     10,000 09/11/1999(3) 09/11/2008 Common Stock 10,000 $ 0 50,000 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 12.1875 01/10/2008   M     3,000 01/01/2000(4) 01/01/2009 Common Stock 3,000 $ 0 47,000 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 4 01/10/2008   M     3,000 01/01/2001(5) 01/01/2010 Common Stock 3,000 $ 0 44,000 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 3.3125 01/10/2008   M     4,000 02/24/2000(6) 02/24/2010 Common Stock 4,000 $ 0 40,000 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 5.875 01/10/2008   M     5,000 01/01/2001(7) 01/01/2011 Common Stock 5,000 $ 0 35,000 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 11.86 01/10/2008   M     5,000 01/02/2002(8) 01/02/2012 Common Stock 5,000 $ 0 30,000 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 11.45 01/10/2008   M     5,000 01/01/2003(9) 01/01/2013 Common Stock 5,000 $ 0 25,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
CROCKER DOUGLAS II
71 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 3400
CHICAGO, IL 60606		   X      

Signatures

 Douglas Crocker II, By: T. Richard Riney, Attorney-In-Fact   01/14/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) On January 10, 2008, the Reporting Person transmitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission a Form 144 covering the sale of the Issuer's common stock reported on Table I.
(2) Please see the Reporting Person's subsequent Form 4 filing dated the date hereof which contains additional transactions which are part of one aggregate direction.
(3) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 10,000 on September 11, 1998 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in four equal annual installments beginning on September 11, 1999.
(4) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 3,000 on January 1, 1999 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in four equal annual installments beginning on January 1, 2000.
(5) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 3,000 on January 1, 2000 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in four equal annual installments beginning on January 1, 2001.
(6) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 4,000 on February 24, 2000 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in two equal annual installments beginning on February 24, 2000.
(7) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 5,000 on January 1, 2001 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in two equal annual installments beginning on January 1, 2001.
(8) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 5,000 on January 2, 2002 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in two equal annual installments beginning on January 2, 2002.
(9) These options were part of a previously reported grant of 5,000 on January 1, 2003 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in two equal annual installments beginning on January 1, 2003.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.