Effective September 1, 2025

At Best Pets Animal Clinic, we understand that many pet owners choose outside pharmacies or online retailers for convenience, pricing, or personal preference. We respect your right to decide where your pet’s prescriptions are filled and are committed to helping you make the best decision for your pet’s health.

Our goal is not to make obtaining medications more difficult. Rather, our goal is to ensure that every prescription is accurate, properly documented, and dispensed as safely as possible.

We encourage clients to obtain medications through our hospital pharmacy or trusted online pharmacy partner, Blue Rabbit, whenever possible, but we are happy to provide written prescriptions for clients who prefer to utilize another pharmacy.

 

Why We Recommend Our Pharmacy

When medications are purchased through our hospital or approved online pharmacy partner, we can confidently verify the quality, authenticity, storage conditions, and handling of every product we recommend.

Unfortunately, not all online pharmacies obtain medications through manufacturer-approved channels. While many outside pharmacies provide excellent service, some products sold online may not be eligible for manufacturer guarantees, rebates, or warranty programs. In some cases, medications may have been stored, shipped, or sourced in ways that we cannot verify.

When you obtain medications through our hospital or online pharmacy, you can have confidence knowing that your pet is receiving products obtained directly from trusted veterinary distributors and manufacturers.

In addition, our veterinary team has immediate access to your pet’s medical record, allowing us to review prescriptions for safety, monitor for drug interactions, answer medication questions, and quickly make adjustments when treatment plans change.

Why Did We Change Our Policy?

Beginning September 1, 2025, Best Pets Animal Clinic and Pet Wellness Vet Center transitioned to a written prescription model for medications filled through outside pharmacies.

Over time, third-party prescription authorization requests have become increasingly complex and time-consuming. Processing these requests requires our team to review medical records, verify patient eligibility, document communications, and respond to multiple requests from pharmacies through phone calls, fax transmissions, emails, and electronic authorization systems.

While these requests may seem simple on the surface, each prescription requires careful review to ensure accuracy and compliance with state and federal regulations.

More importantly, we believe written prescriptions provide better medical documentation and reduce the potential for communication errors. When prescription information is relayed through multiple parties, there is increased opportunity for misunderstandings regarding dosage, quantity, refills, or medication selection. A written prescription provides clear documentation for both the client and pharmacy while creating a permanent record within your pet’s medical file.

This approach allows our team to devote more time to direct patient care while maintaining the highest standards of medical accuracy and documentation.

Cost & Convenience Matter

We recognize that cost and convenience are often the primary reasons clients choose outside pharmacies.

For this reason, we have invested heavily in our online pharmacy platform. Our online pharmacy offers home delivery, auto-ship options, prescription diets, manufacturer rebates, and competitive pricing on many commonly prescribed medications and preventatives.

Many clients are surprised to find that our online store pricing is often comparable to other major online retailers while providing the additional benefit of veterinary oversight and manufacturer-backed guarantees.

Because our online pharmacy is directly integrated with our hospital, prescriptions can often be processed more efficiently and without additional documentation requirements.

Supporting Local Veterinary Care

When you purchase medications through our hospital or online pharmacy, you are doing more than filling a prescription.

You are supporting a locally owned veterinary practice, helping us invest in our team, continuing education, advanced equipment, and expanded services for pets throughout our community.

Every purchase helps us continue providing the high-quality medical care, education, and client support that our patients deserve.

Outside Pharmacy Requests

We fully support our clients’ ability to choose where prescriptions are filled.

If you choose to utilize an outside pharmacy, we will gladly provide a written prescription that can be picked up during normal business hours and submitted to the pharmacy of your choice.

To prescribe medications safely and legally, veterinarians are required to maintain a valid Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR). This generally means your pet must have a current examination (within the past 12 months) and, for some medications, appropriate monitoring or laboratory testing may be required before refills can be authorized.

These requirements are not intended to create barriers to care—they help ensure that medications remain safe, effective, and appropriate for your pet’s current health status.

To maintain accurate documentation and efficient workflows, we no longer process prescription requests received directly from third-party pharmacies through fax, email, phone, or electronic authorization systems. Instead, we provide a written prescription that can be filled at the pharmacy of your choice.

Written Prescription Fee

A $5 Prescription Review & Documentation Fee may be applied to written prescriptions.

This fee helps offset the administrative time required to review medical records, verify eligibility, prepare documentation, and maintain accurate prescription records.

Questions?

We understand that every family has unique needs and circumstances. If you have questions about prescription options, online pharmacy services, pricing, or this policy, we encourage you to speak with a member of our team.

We are always happy to discuss the options available and help you determine what is best for you and your pet.

 

Thanks,
Best Pets Animal Clinic & Pet Wellness Veterinary Center