Are Online Pet Pharmacies Safe?

Being able to shop online has made getting the things you need all the more accessible for people worldwide! But what about your pet's medicine? 

Here, we walk through what is required for a company to sell pet medicine online, what accreditations to look out for, and how to order a pet prescription on Pet Drugs Online. 

This depends on where you are buying your pet’s prescriptions from. While the majority of online pharmacies for animals and those for humans are perfectly safe to purchase your prescription from, there are some that aren’t. 

The key to ensuring you buy from a safe pet pharmacy is always checking the website's accreditations. In particular, the following: 

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) that authorises veterinary medicines and monitors their quality and safety even after they’ve been signed off. 

In 2012, the VMD launched their Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme (AIRS), allowing you to see whether an online pet pharmacy complies with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations. Once a retailer has been accredited, they are given their AIRS number, which you can verify at GOV.UK.

Accredited Online Internet Retailers typically have their VMD Accreditation readily available on their site along with their AIRS number.

As with human medicines, veterinary medicines are split into categories, which determine the level of RQP (Registered Qualified Persons) necessary to supply them. Online pharmacies regulated by the VMD which comply with AIRS have RCVS-registered vets on-site to check all prescription medication orders. 

You can see whether the site you’re on is registered with the RCVS by searching the premises name or their RCVS registration number in the correct RCVS Database. 

All our accreditations and reference numbers are on our About Us page. Our medicines are bought from accredited UK wholesalers, and we only sell medications that the VMD has authorised.

Buying your pet's prescription online form us couldn't be easier! Just follow these simple steps:

You cannot purchase prescription medicines online or anywhere else without a valid prescription written by a vet after your pet has been examined. Once this has happened, you can ask your vet to write you a prescription that can be dispensed elsewhere. This usually incurs a charge that varies with each clinic, so please make sure to ask beforehand. 

Once you’ve got your pet’s prescription, you can search for your pet's medication on the Pet Drugs Online site. Make sure to follow the prescription precisely to ensure you choose the right medicine in the correct dosage, or else we won't be able to dispense your medication, leading to delays in your order. 

When buying medications, you must make an account with us and fill in your pet’s details. This is so we can ensure the medicines you’ve picked are suitable for your pet. Then, continue through the checkout. 

You will be prompted to assign a pet to the products in your basket at the checkout. You will then be given two options: 

1. Upload a picture of your prescription now
2. Send your prescription to us later. (By email, post, or fax)

Please note that when choosing to send your prescription later, your order may take longer to process than the advisory 2 days. This is because we are unable to process any orders for prescription medications until the prescription has been checked by our team.  

Once you’ve placed your order and sent us your prescription, all that’s left is to sit back and relax. Our team will verify the authenticity of your prescription and ensure you’re getting the right medicines in the right amount for your pet before dispatching your order.

We hope this guide has given you the confidence to find a reputable pet pharmacy online. If you’re looking to buy your pet’s prescription from us at Pet Drugs Online, you can find our available medications here or find out more on our Prescription Information Page.

This post is an opinion and should only be used as a guide. You should discuss any change to your pet’s care or lifestyle thoroughly with your vet before starting any program or treatment.