Pet Drugs Online

What Pet Drugs Online does

Pet Drugs Online is a UK-based online veterinary pharmacy and pet supplies retailer founded in 2005 by veterinarians at Saltford Veterinary Surgery. The company sells prescription veterinary medications, pet food, flea/tick/worming treatments, and accessories for dogs, cats, horses, birds, reptiles, and small pets through its e-commerce platform petdrugsonline.co.uk, supplemented by Amazon Marketplace (since 2010) and eBay (since 2011). The catalog spans 4,000+ products from 600+ brands. All prescription dispensing is verified by an in-house clinical team of six resident vets and 20+ Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs), with the company holding VMD Accredited Internet Retailer status (2033874) and RCVS Registered Veterinary Practice Premises (7159324) as statutory requirements. Operations are run from a single warehouse and HQ at Burnett Business Park in Keynsham, Bristol, with 150+ employees.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with two distinct revenue streams: one-time purchases of prescription and non-prescription products, and recurring revenue from the Easy-Repeat subscription service (launched 2023) and the tiered PetSaver membership program (Bronze free, Silver and Gold annual subscriptions offering 2-4% discounts and free delivery benefits). Delivery covers mainland UK only, with multiple delivery tiers ranging from free standard (orders over £49) to £11.99 signed next-day morning. Marketing is multi-channel: content (Pet Advice blog), email, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), seasonal promotions, and the Feefo review platform, which has accumulated 61,000+ verified reviews and six consecutive Platinum Service Awards.

Pet Drugs Online is a member of IVC Evidensia, one of the largest pan-European veterinary groups, providing corporate backing and compliance infrastructure. The company has no app, no public listing, and no disclosed venture funding; revenue is not publicly disclosed. Growth indicators include the 2023 subscription launch, 2023 headcount milestone of 150+ employees, the 2024 Direct Line insurance partnership, expansion into the equine vertical, and consistent industry recognition including the 2025 UK Digital Excellence 'Stand out B2C eCommerce Website of the Year' award.

Name

Pet Drugs Online

Legal name

Pet Drugs Online

Website

https://petdrugsonline.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

UK-based online veterinary pharmacy founded in 2005, selling prescription medications, pet food, and supplies to mainland UK pet owners through its own e-commerce site, Amazon, and eBay. Operates as a VMD-accredited retailer and member of IVC Evidensia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Pet Pharmacy

NAICS

Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910), Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (456110), Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (45611)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912), Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Veterinary Pharmacies & E-commerce Retailers (HLAMAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pet Pharmacy Retail (Prescription) (CRALAHAD), E‑prescribing, Pharmacy Ordering & Medication Management (Rx, Refills, Home Delivery Integrations) (HLAMAGAF), Pet Health & Wellness Retail (Supplements, OTC, Flea/Tick) (CRALAHAC), Pet Care & Pet Services Platforms (Sitting, Walking, Grooming) (BPAMAHAI)

Keywords

• Online pet pharmacy
• Veterinary medications retail
• Prescription pet meds
• Pet healthcare supplies
• Pet care e-commerce

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - Prescription Medications: One-time purchase model for prescription pet medications requiring vet verification. Products include flea/tick treatments, anti-inflammatories, and other veterinary medicines.
2. Product Sales - Non-Prescription Items: One-time purchase of pet food, accessories, and general pet supplies. Includes seasonal promotions and multi-buy offers.
3. Easy-Repeat Subscription Service: Recurring subscription model for regular pet essentials. Launched in 2023, offering automatic reordering with discount benefits for subscribers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Pet Drugs Online is a UK-licensed online veterinary pharmacy and pet supplies retailer that sells prescription pet medications, pet food, flea/tick/worming treatments, and accessories directly to pet owners. The company verifies customer-uploaded vet prescriptions through an in-house team of vets and Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs) before dispensing, and offers home delivery across mainland UK with an Easy-Repeat subscription service for recurring orders.

Product overview

Pet Drugs Online is an online veterinary pharmacy and pet supplies retailer offering a comprehensive e-commerce platform for pet healthcare and essentials. The core offering includes prescription veterinary medications (requiring vet prescriptions) across multiple animal species (dogs, cats, horses, birds, reptiles, small pets, livestock), supplemented by pet food, flea/tick/worming treatments, and accessories. The business model centers on the PetSaver membership program (Bronze/Silver/Gold tiers with discounts and free delivery benefits) and the Easy-Repeat subscription service for automated repeat orders. The product portfolio spans prescription medications like NexGard, NexGard Spectra, NexGard Combo, Apoquel, Bravecto, and Metacam, alongside non-prescription products from over 650 brands including Royal Canin, Hill's, Purina, and Frontline. The company operates as a VMD-accredited internet retailer and RCVS-registered veterinary practice, verifying all prescriptions through an in-house veterinary team.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prescription Pet Medications Prescription-only veterinary medications for dogs, cats, horses, birds, reptiles, small pets, and livestock, requiring valid vet prescriptions verified by the in-house compliance team before dispatch.
• Pet Food Comprehensive range of pet food including dry, wet, breed-specific, condition-specific, grain-free, and prescription diets for dogs, cats, horses, and small pets.
• Flea, Tick & Worming Treatments Over 250 parasite control products including spot-ons, collars, tablets, sprays, and household treatments from brands including Frontline, Advantage, Drontal, and Seresto.
• Pet Accessories Range of pet accessories including toys, beds, collars, leads, harnesses, grooming products, bowls, and litter for dogs, cats, horses, and small pets.
• PetSaver Membership Program Tiered membership program (Bronze free, Silver and Gold annual subscriptions) offering progressive discounts, free standard or priority next-day delivery, and priority services for repeat customers.
• Easy-Repeat Subscription Service Automated repeat prescription and product ordering service for ongoing pet medication and essentials, with additional subscriber discounts and management of repeat prescription expirations.
• NexGard Prescription flea and tick treatment for dogs and cats, available as chewable tablets and spot-on solutions, manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim.
• NexGard Spectra Prescription chewable flea, tick, and worm treatment for dogs combining Afoxolaner and Milbemycin Oxime.
• NexGard Combo Broad-spectrum spot-on parasiticide for cats covering fleas, ticks, ear mites, roundworms, and tapeworms.
• Apoquel Prescription medication for dogs to treat itching and inflammation associated with allergic skin conditions, targeting cytokines IL-31 and IL-4.
• Bravecto Prescription flea and tick treatment for dogs and cats available as spot-on or chewable tablets, providing up to 12 weeks of protection.
• Metacam Prescription NSAID pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication for dogs, cats, horses, and guinea pigs, containing Meloxicam.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significant cost savings on prescription medications compared to veterinary surgery prices
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Cotswold's Cats and Dogs HomeminorOthers · 1 January 2024Charitable partnership established in 2024 as part of the company's community engagement and social responsibility initiatives.
• Direct LineminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership allowing customers to claim up to £15 to help cover the cost of their vet prescription fee. This partnership provides added value to customers using Pet Drugs Online services.
• eBayminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2011Pet Drugs Online expanded selling channels by launching on eBay in 2011, reaching additional customers through eBay's marketplace platform.
• Amazon MarketplaceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2010Pet Drugs Online expanded selling channels by launching on Amazon Marketplace in 2010, reaching additional customers through Amazon's platform.
• IVC EvidensiacoreOthersPet Drugs Online is a member of the IVC Evidensia group, one of the largest veterinary groups in Europe. IVC Evidensia has expanded rapidly and operates under a corporate social responsibility framework including anti-slavery and human trafficking compliance. The group supports Pet Drugs Online's operations and compliance functions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pets at Home: UK's largest specialist pet retailer with omnichannel presence including a veterinary group (Vets4Pets). Overlaps on prescription dispensing, OTC pet medications, food and accessories, though anchored in physical stores.
• Chewy: US-headquartered online pet retailer with a fast-growing pharmacy and vet-care offering (Chewy Pharmacy, CarePlus). Comparable D2C model, subscription layer, and pharmacy expansion, although operating primarily in the US.
• Covetrus: Global animal-health distribution and pharmacy platform supplying veterinary practices and online retailers. Comparable as a wholesale/distribution backbone and increasingly a direct pharmacy operator in select markets.
• Zooplus: Europe's largest online pet retailer offering food, accessories, and an expanding pharmacy/pharma-plus range. Comparable e-commerce scale and pan-European footprint, with growing prescription offerings that compete for online pet-pharmacy share.

Others

• Direct Line Pet Insurance: UK pet insurance provider that has an existing partnership with Pet Drugs Online to subsidise vet prescription fees. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, but reflective of insurance-retail-pharmacy convergence.
• Vetoquinol: Global animal-health pharmaceutical company whose products (parasiticides, NSAIDs, dermatology) are core SKU offerings on Pet Drugs Online. Comparable as a key supplier; not a direct channel competitor but an upstream partner whose DTC strategy affects the retailer's economics.

Direct peers

• Animed Direct: Long-established UK online pet pharmacy and supplies retailer offering prescription medications alongside food and accessories. Comparable VMD-accredited e-commerce operation competing for the same UK pet-owner segment.
• Pet Prescription Meds: UK online veterinary pharmacy focused on prescription pet medicines. Direct competitor operating an analogous model: prescription upload, vet verification, and home delivery within the same regulatory framework.
• VetUK: UK-based online retailer of prescription and non-prescription pet medications, operating a similar VMD-accredited e-commerce model. Direct head-to-head competitor in the same UK prescription pet-pharmacy category with overlapping product range and customer base.

Emerging players

• Pharms UK: Smaller UK online pet pharmacy targeting price-sensitive prescription customers. Partial overlap on prescription fulfillment with a leaner catalogue, competing on price for the same UK customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PetDrugsOnlineUK/feed
• Facebookfacebook.com/petdrugsonline
• Instagraminstagram.com/petdrugsonline
• Xx.com/petdrugsonline

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pet Drugs Online