,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #bgef  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #ca1     
#bjad ,mr4 ,blumenthal 7for himself1    
,mr4 ,schumer1 and ,mr4 ,lee7 introduced
 the following bill2 which was read     
twice and referred to the ,committee on 
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
  ,a ,,bill  ,to promote competition and
 help consumers save money by giving    
them the freedom to choose where they   
buy prescription pet medications1 and   
for other purposes4  #a4  ,short title  
,this ,act may be cited as the ,fairness
 to ,pet ,owners ,act of #bjad4  #b4    
,applicability  ,this ,act shall only   
apply to medication for a domesticated  
household animal that the ,federal      
,government prevents consumers from     
purchasing without a prescription4  #c4 
,rules on veterinary prescriptions  ,not
 later than #ahj days after the date of 
the enactment of this ,act1 the ,federal
 ,trade ,commission shall promulgate    
rules in accordance with section #eec of

 title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 that  
include the following requirements with 
regard to a veterinary prescription3    
7#a7  ,in general  ,a requirement that  
the prescriber of an animal drug shall--
  7,a7 whether or not requested by the  
pet owner1 provide to the pet owner1    
before offering to fill or dispensing1 a
 veterinary prescription1 a copy of the 
veterinary prescription1 including by   
electronic or other means2  7,b7 provide
 a copy of the prescription by          
electronic or other means consistent    
with applicable ,state law1 if requested
 by a pharmacy or any other person      
designated to act on behalf of the pet  
owner2 and  7,c7 upon request by a      
pharmacy or any other person designated 
to act on behalf of the pet owner1      
verify the prescription4  7#b7          
,purchase1 payment1 and waiver  ,a      
requirement that the prescriber of an   
animal drug--  7,a7 may not--  7i7      
require purchase of the animal drug for 
which the veterinary prescription was   

written from the prescriber or from     
another person as a condition of        
providing a copy of the veterinary      
prescription or verifying such          
prescription under paragraph 7#a72  7ii7
 require payment in addition to1 or as  
part of1 the fee for an examination and 
evaluation as a condition of providing a
 copy of the veterinary prescription or 
verifying such prescription under       
paragraph 7#a72 or  7iii7 require the   
pet owner to sign a waiver or disclaim  
liability1 or deliver to the pet owner a
 notice waiving or disclaiming liability
 of the prescriber for the accuracy of  
the veterinary prescription1 as a       
condition of providing a copy of such   
prescription or verifying such          
prescription under paragraph 7#a72 and  
7,b7 may require payment of fees for an 
examination and evaluation before       
providing a veterinary prescription1 but
 only if the prescriber requires        
immediate payment in the case of an     
examination that reveals no requirement 

for an animal drug4  #d4  ,enforcement  
7a7 ,unfair or deceptive act or practice
 ,a violation of a rule prescribed      
pursuant to section #c of this ,act     
shall be treated as a violation of a    
rule defining an unfair or deceptive act
 or practice prescribed under section   
#ah7;a77#a77;,b7 of the ,federal ,trade 
,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4         
#eg;a7a77#a77;,b774  7b7 ,powers of     
,commission  7#a7 ,in general ,the      
,federal ,trade ,commission shall       
enforce this ,act in the same manner1 by
 the same means1 and with the same      
jurisdiction as though all applicable   
terms and provisions of the ,federal    
,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4  
#da et seq47 were incorporated into and 
made a part of this ,act4  7#b7         
,privileges and immunities ,any person  
who violates a rule prescribed pursuant 
to section #c of this ,act shall be     
subject to the penalties and entitled to
 the privileges and immunities provided 
in the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,act 

7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #da et seq474  #e4       
,definitions  ,in this ,act3  7#a7      
,animal drug  ,the term animal drug     
means a drug intended to be administered
 to an animal that may not be dispensed 
without a prescription4  7#b7           
,domesticated household animal  ,the    
term domesticated household animal means
 a companion animal permitted under     
applicable ,state and local law to be   
kept in a home for noncommercial        
purposes4  7#c7  ,pet owner  ,the term  
pet owner means the legal owner of a    
domesticated household animal or a      
person designated by such owner to      
present such animal to the prescriber   
for care4  7#d7  ,prescriber  ,the term 
prescriber means a health care          
practitioner who is licensed to practice
 veterinary medicine or other person    
permitted under ,state law to issue     
prescriptions for animal drugs4  7#e7   
,veterinary prescription  ,the term     
veterinary prescription--  7,a7 means a 
written1 oral1 or electronic order from 

a prescriber authorizing the dispensing 
of an animal drug for use by a          
domesticated household animal and       
normally administered to the animal by  
its owner1 issued in accordance with    
,state and ,federal law2 and  7,b7 does 
not include an animal drug administered 
by the veterinarian in the course of    
providing acute care4