We were sad and disappointed when recently Chewy refused to fill our beloved Quincy’s prescribed medication, simply because he’s a turkey. 

We were informed by their staff that Chewy’s policy automatically classifies turkeys as “food animals” and states that they only dispense medication to “companion” animals. When we escalated the issue and explained that Quincy is a beloved family member and part of our sanctuary, we were told that Chewy follows FDA guidelines on what species are considered “food-producing.” 

There are no FDA regulations that prohibit dispensing medication to turkeys, or other "food-producing" animals, so this does not apply to Quincy's situation.  In fact, there are even FDA guidelines on how to prescribe medications off-label to these animals, something that is done frequently with dogs, cats, rabbits, house birds, and other "companion animals."  The FDA clearly leaves this up to the veterinarian and places responsibility on them to determine the appropriate medications.  For reference, CVS has filled off-label human medications for Quincy in the past, knowing his species.  

Quincy is not a food animal.
He’s family.
He receives the same love and care from us as the dogs that also call our sanctuary home.

The veterinarians we work with understand our mission and know that we do not assign worth to an animal based on someone else’s arbitrary definition of who qualifies as a “companion.”  

Chewy has a long history of compassionate service to people and their beloved animals, and we appreciate that. But this policy highlights a painful and discriminatory disconnect: dogs, cats, rabbits, and even typical “pet” birds such as parrots are welcomed as family, while animals like Quincy, Jenna the cow, Pumpkin the pig, Elton the rooster, and Huckleberry the sheep are treated as though they don’t count.

We believe Chewy can and should do better, and update policies that don’t reflect actual FDA regulations or the real-world experiences of countless people and animals.

UPDATE

After seeing our social media posts, a Chewy representative reached out to us.  She was kind and listened to our concerns, but it was clear that Chewy has no actionable plans or desire to change their policies regarding who deserves their services.  They cited a few irrelevant "roadblocks" such as:

1) Their technology can't account for different state laws that might apply.

-They already do this with cats and dogs, so she is either misinformed or being untruthful.  For example, just days ago Chewy flagged one of our dog's medications as needing to be filled in person in the state of Virginia.

2) Their technology is currently unable to determine if the medication is legally allowed to be prescribed to the animal in question.

-This is also untrue, as their system already flags medications being prescribed "off-label."  

3) They could have liability if an animal received certain medications and ended up in the food system.

- Again, the FDA clearly puts the onus on veterinarians, and other online pharmacies simply ask the veterinarian to sign a form indicating that the animal will not enter the food supply.  

Chewy has the opportunity to lead by example, setting a precedent for inclusivity in pet care. The FDA does not restrict dispensing medications to other animals, so Chewy’s current practice is not based on existing legal regulations but rather on an internal policy that needs revisiting.

We urge Chewy to reconsider its policy and allow for the inclusion of all animals, ensuring equal access to necessary medications, regardless of species. 

Sign this petition to ask Chewy to change its policy for the sake of all animals who rely on us for their health and well-being.