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

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Brehl Robert J   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol VENTAS INC [VTR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chief Acct. Off. & Controller (Last) (First) (Middle) 10350 ORMSBY PARK PLACE, SUITE 300 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 07/30/2012 (Street) LOUISVILLE,, KY 40223 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 07/30/2012   M   5,000 A $ 32.78 29,121.501 D   Common Stock 07/30/2012   M   7,936 A $ 41.54 37,057.501 D   Common Stock 07/30/2012   M   7,764 A $ 21.57 44,821.501 D   Common Stock 07/30/2012   S(1)   20,700 D $ 67.4229 24,412.744 (2) (3) D

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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)

$ 32.78

07/30/2012

M

5,000

01/03/2007(4)

01/03/2016

Common Stock

5,000

$ 0

25,985

D

Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 41.54

07/30/2012

M

7,936

01/22/2008(5)

01/22/2018

Common Stock

7,936

$ 0

18,049

D

Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 21.57

07/30/2012

M

7,764

02/27/2009(6)

02/27/2019

Common Stock

7,764

$ 0

10,285 (7)

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Brehl Robert J 10350 ORMSBY PARK PLACE, SUITE 300 LOUISVILLE,, KY 40223			Chief Acct. Off. & Controller

Signatures

Robert J. Brehl, By: T. Richard Riney, Attorney-In-Fact		08/01/2012
**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 July 30, 2012, the Reporting Person transmitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a Form 144 covering the sale of the Issuer's common stock reported in Table 1. The price reported in column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold by the Reporting Person in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $67.32 to $67.46, inclusive. The Reporting Person undertakes to provide Issuer, any security holder of Issuer or the staff of the SEC, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in this footnote (1).
(2)	Includes 174.505 shares acquired on March 29, 2012 and June 29, 2012 under the Ventas, Inc. Distribution Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan.
(3)	Includes 116.738 shares acquired between March 13, 2012 and July 31, 2012 under the Ventas Employee and Director Stock Purchase Plan.
(4)	These options were part of a previously reported grant of 5,000 on January 3, 2006 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in three equal annual installments beginning on January 3, 2007.
(5)	These options were part of a previously reported grant of 7,936 on January 22, 2008 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in three equal annual installments beginning on January 22, 2008.
(6)	These options were part of a previously reported grant of 7,764 on February 27, 2009 by the Issuer to the Reporting Person that vested in three equal annual installments beginning on February 27, 2009.
(7)	Represents total number of unexercised stock options held by the Reporting Person as of July 30, 2012.

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