New law could affect where you get your pet's prescription

A new law could change where people get their pets' prescriptions, all because of a new prescription monitoring program.

Virginia law now requires that veterinarians report to the state what prescriptions they are dispensing, in order to accurately track which humans are in possession of the drugs. The change will help the state monitor if people could be using their pets' drugs on themselves or re-selling the drugs to make a profit.

"I do think in the overall it is a good idea," said Dr. Maureen Ward, owner and vet of the Harrisonburg Animal Hospital. "Obviously the opioid endemic is a big issue, especially in the state of Virginia. To put these drugs in one all encompassing monitoring system, whether it be dogs or humans, is a good idea to monitor abuse."

Ward said her animal hospital will now fill out prescriptions but not dispense drugs because of the large amount of paperwork the new system requires. She thinks many other vets could decide to do the same.