PetMed Express
A U.S. online pet pharmacy supplying prescription and non-prescription medicines, supplements, and related animal-health products.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
PetMed Express, Inc., commonly marketed as PetMeds, is a U.S. online pet pharmacy headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida. The company sells prescription and non-prescription medicines for companion animals, nutritional supplements, and selected pet-health products through digital ordering and telephone channels. Unlike a general pet retailer, its core proposition is medication fulfillment: prescription products may be dispensed only when supported by a veterinarian’s prescription or authorization, while over-the-counter products can be purchased directly where permitted. The business was founded in Florida in 1996 by Marc Puleo, an anesthesiologist who initially considered creating a mail-order operation for human prescriptions with a pet-accessory component. He redirected the concept toward animal medicines, where he saw a more achievable market opportunity. Early growth came from word of mouth, catalogs, and television advertising. The company initially carried a wider selection that included accessories such as leashes, but later narrowed its assortment to concentrate on medicine-related products and pet health. PetMed Express became publicly traded during its early expansion. Its shares traded on the OTC Bulletin Board beginning in 1997, and the company moved toward broader SEC reporting and quotation arrangements in 2000. Tricon Holdings invested $2 million in the company in 2000. Menderes Akdag joined as chief executive in 2001 and remained a central executive figure for approximately two decades, overseeing the company through its transition from a small mail-order operation into a recognizable online pet-pharmacy brand. The company’s model sits at the intersection of e-commerce, pharmacy distribution, and veterinary care. It competes with other online sellers and with veterinary practices, many of which generate revenue by dispensing medicines directly to clients. This relationship has made prescription authorization, pharmacy compliance, labeling, advertising, and the role of veterinarians important regulatory and operational issues for the business. PetMed Express has also sought to extend its service proposition beyond medication fulfillment. In 2022 it entered a partnership with Vetster, a veterinary telehealth provider, under which PetMeds was described as the exclusive e-commerce provider for Vetster medications and Vetster as the exclusive telehealth provider for PetMeds customers. The company later announced a partnership with Pumpkin Pet Insurance in 2023. In 2025, it launched PetHealthMD, described in the supplied reference material as a pet-care insurance provider. These initiatives indicate an effort to connect online pharmacy sales with veterinary access and broader pet-health services, although the company’s established identity remains that of a U.S. pet-medication retailer.
History
PetMed Express was established in Florida in 1996 by Marc Puleo. Puleo, an anesthesiologist, initially considered a mail-order business centered on human prescriptions and pet accessories. He changed direction after assessing the competitive environment in human pharmaceuticals and focused the company on medicines for companion animals. The early operation relied on catalogs, television advertising, and customer referrals. It also sold some non-medication pet products, including accessories, before adopting a more focused health-product strategy. The company entered public trading in September 1997 through the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol PETS. In March 2000 it began the process of moving into the National Quotation Bureau Electronic Quotation Service and assumed SEC reporting responsibilities. Tricon Holdings invested $2 million in 2000. In 2001, Menderes Akdag became chief executive. Under Akdag, PetMed Express discontinued approximately 5,000 products and concentrated more heavily on medicine-related merchandise, helping define the business as an online pet-pharmacy specialist rather than a broad pet-goods retailer. The company’s early history also included regulatory and legal disputes concerning pharmaceutical distribution. Until 2002, PetMed Express and SaveMax Inc. operated from the same premises, shared personnel, and used the same pharmacy licenses. The relationship and the companies’ dispensing practices attracted scrutiny in several states. Matters described in the reference material included allegations involving dispensing without prescriptions, advertising, record keeping, labeling, and the sale of products in forms or doses not approved for the relevant U.S. market. In 1999, PetMed Express settled charges with the Florida Pharmacy Board concerning several of these issues. In 2002, PetMed Express and SaveMax were fined by the Environmental Protection Agency in connection with prescription products manufactured for European and Australian markets whose doses and labeling were not FDA-approved for the United States. Also in 2002, the Florida Pharmacy Board reached a settlement with the companies concerning arrangements with veterinarians who allegedly issued prescriptions for animals they had not examined. Similar allegations were settled in Ohio. The Texas Pharmacy Board filed a lawsuit in November 2002 alleging dispensing without prescriptions; the matter was ultimately settled in 2006 with a $50,000 fine and three years of probation. These episodes illustrate the compliance risks inherent in an online pharmacy model that depends on veterinary authorization while competing with veterinary practices that dispense medicines themselves. In 2004, shareholders filed a securities class action alleging that the company had not adequately disclosed the difficulty of obtaining veterinary prescription authorization. The plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the litigation in 2005. Puleo stepped down from executive leadership that year. A separate shareholder lawsuit filed in 2018 alleged that the company marketed dangerous animal drugs to humans; the plaintiffs later dismissed the action following an investigation, according to the supplied reference material. Akdag’s long tenure ended in 2021 when the company chose not to extend his employment agreement beyond its scheduled July 30 end date, while discussing a potential transition period. Matthew N. Hulett became president and CEO on August 30, 2021. PetMed Express subsequently pursued partnerships intended to broaden its customer proposition. In April 2022 it partnered with Vetster, linking PetMeds medication fulfillment with Vetster telehealth. A 2023 partnership with Pumpkin Pet Insurance extended the company’s connections into insurance, and the supplied material identifies the 2025 launch of PetHealthMD as a further move into pet-care insurance. The company remains principally known for online distribution of prescription and non-prescription animal medicines in the United States.
- 2025
PetHealthMD launch
[1]The supplied reference material identifies the launch of PetHealthMD as a pet-care insurance initiative.
- 2023
Pumpkin partnership
[1]PetMed Express partnered with Pumpkin Pet Insurance.
- 2022
Vetster partnership
[1]PetMeds and Vetster linked online medication fulfillment with veterinary telehealth services.
- 2021
Executive transition
[1]Menderes Akdag left the CEO role, and Matthew N. Hulett became president and CEO on August 30.
- 2006
Texas pharmacy case settled
[1]The Texas dispensing case was settled with a $50,000 fine and three years of probation.
- 2002
Regulatory settlements and penalties
[1]PetMed Express and SaveMax faced multiple state and federal regulatory matters involving veterinary prescriptions, dispensing, labeling, and product approval.
- 2001
Menderes Akdag becomes chief executive
[1]Akdag became CEO and subsequently led the company for approximately two decades.
- 2000
Tricon Holdings investment and public-reporting transition
[1]Tricon Holdings invested $2 million, and PetMed Express began a process associated with broader SEC reporting and quotation arrangements.
- 1997
Begins OTC Bulletin Board trading
[1]The company’s shares began trading on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol PETS.
- 1996
Company founded in Florida
[1]Marc Puleo founded the business and directed it toward mail-order pet medicines and related products.
Products and positioning
A convenient, price-conscious U.S. online pet pharmacy offering medication fulfillment and adjacent pet-health services.
Veterinary pharmacy · 1996
Prescription pet medications
PetMed Express’s core offering is the online fulfillment of veterinarian-prescribed medicines for companion animals, especially dogs and cats. The company’s model requires prescription authorization for regulated prescription products and is designed to give customers an alternative channel to purchasing medicines directly from veterinary practices.
Animal health · 1996
Non-prescription pet medications
The company sells over-the-counter animal medicines and other products that do not require a veterinarian’s prescription where applicable. These products support routine pet care and complement the prescription-pharmacy business.
Nutrition and wellness
Pet supplements
PetMed Express offers nutritional supplements and related wellness products as part of its broader pet-health assortment. Supplements extend the catalog beyond therapeutic medicines while remaining connected to the company’s animal-health positioning.
Pet supplies · 1996
Pet accessories
Accessories such as leashes were part of the company’s earlier, broader merchandise range. The business later discontinued thousands of products and emphasized medicine-related items, making accessories a secondary rather than defining category.
Pet-care insurance · 2025
PetHealthMD
PetHealthMD is identified in the supplied reference material as a pet-care insurance offering launched by PetMed Express in 2025. Detailed coverage, underwriting, and distribution information was not provided.
Controversies
2018
Shareholder lawsuit concerning marketing to humans
A shareholder suit alleged that the company marketed dangerous animal drugs to humans. The plaintiffs later dismissed the action after an investigation.
2006
Texas dispensing lawsuit settlement
A Texas Pharmacy Board lawsuit alleging dispensing veterinary drugs without prescriptions was settled with a $50,000 fine and three years of probation.
2004
Securities class action over prescription authorization disclosures
Shareholders alleged that PetMed Express had not been candid about the difficulty of obtaining veterinary prescription approvals. The plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the case in 2005.
2002
EPA penalty over non-U.S.-approved veterinary drugs
PetMed Express and SaveMax were fined over the sale of prescription drugs manufactured for European and Australian markets whose doses and labeling were not approved for the United States.
2002
Veterinary prescription practices investigated
The Florida Pharmacy Board settled allegations concerning arrangements with veterinarians who allegedly wrote prescriptions for animals they had not examined. Similar matters were settled in Ohio.
1999
Florida pharmacy-board settlement
PetMed Express settled Florida Pharmacy Board charges involving alleged sales without prescriptions, false advertising, record-keeping deficiencies, and incorrect labeling.
Marketing campaigns
- Catalog and television customer acquisition
United States
The company’s early growth relied on catalogs, television commercials, and word-of-mouth referrals to build awareness for mail-order pet medicines.
Outcome. These channels helped establish PetMed Express before its later emphasis on online ordering.
Brand decisions
2025
Launch of PetHealthMDProduct launchBackground
The company continued exploring services adjacent to online pet-medication retail.
Action taken
PetMed Express launched PetHealthMD, described in the supplied reference material as a pet-care insurance provider.
2023
Partnership with Pumpkin Pet InsuranceStrategyBackground
PetMed Express pursued adjacent pet-health relationships beyond pharmacy retail.
Action taken
The company partnered with Pumpkin Pet Insurance.
Aftermath
The arrangement expanded PetMed Express’s presence in the broader pet-insurance and pet-care ecosystem.
2022
Vetster commercial partnershipM&ABackground
PetMed Express sought to connect medication e-commerce with access to veterinary care.
Action taken
PetMeds became Vetster’s exclusive e-commerce provider for medications, while Vetster became the exclusive telehealth provider for PetMeds customers under the announced arrangement.
Aftermath
The partnership broadened the brand’s proposition from product fulfillment toward an integrated pet-health journey.
2021
Change in chief executiveStrategyBackground
Menderes Akdag’s employment agreement was scheduled to end on July 30, 2021, after approximately twenty years in the CEO role.
Action taken
The board did not extend the agreement and appointed Matthew N. Hulett president and CEO effective August 30, 2021, while discussing a possible transition period.
Aftermath
The leadership change marked the end of Akdag’s long tenure and began a new executive phase.
2001
Narrow assortment toward medicinesStrategyBackground
The company had sold accessories and a broad range of products in addition to medicines.
Action taken
After Menderes Akdag became CEO, PetMed Express discontinued approximately 5,000 products and concentrated on medicine-related items.
Aftermath
The decision reinforced the company’s identity as a specialist online pet pharmacy.
Recent events
- 2025
PetMed Express launches PetHealthMD[1]
Product launch
The supplied reference material identifies PetHealthMD as a pet-care insurance offering launched by PetMed Express.
- 2023
PetMed Express partners with Pumpkin Pet Insurance[1]
Other
PetMed Express entered a partnership with Pumpkin, a pet-insurance provider, expanding its relationships in the broader pet-health ecosystem.
- 2022
PetMeds partners with Vetster[1]
M&A · Other
The companies announced an arrangement linking PetMeds medication e-commerce with Vetster veterinary telehealth services.
- 2021
PetMed Express announces the departure of Menderes Akdag[1]
Leadership change
The company notified Akdag that his employment agreement would end on July 30, 2021, while proposing a possible transition period until a successor was appointed.
- 2021
Matthew N. Hulett appointed president and chief executive officer[1]
Leadership change
Hulett, previously associated with Rosetta Stone, became PetMed Express president and CEO effective August 30, 2021.
Sources2 sources
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