Amazon is doing more than just selling you things you don’t need and producing some gruesome TV—now, they want to get into the veterinary business.
According to a report from CNBC, Amazon is apparently considering a move into the pet medicine business. Sources told the outlet that the move is a bid to have Amazon compete against the likes of Walmart. The retail chain signed a deal with telehealth pet care company Pawp earlier this year to begin offering the service to Walmart+ subscribers. CNBC reports that Amazon would rely on telehealth for the service much the same way Walmart has, but that talks are private and ongoing.
Amazon declined to comment on the discussions.
It would appear that the initiative is part of a broader push from Amazon to occupy the medical space as a legitimate healthcare provider. In 2017, rumors began to swirl that Amazon would be providing shoppers access to an in-house pharmacy to get their medications filled. The company then acquired online pill provider PillPack just a year later. In 2020, the company officially launched Amazon Pharmacy in 45 states, promising a two-day delivery for prescriptions with a Prime membership.
Since then, Amazon Pharmacy has certainly evolved. Prime members now have access to a monthly subscription service through Amazon called RxPass, in which users can receive a seemingly unlimited amount of filled prescriptions for a measly $5 per month. RxPass doesn’t cover every medication, however, as only 60 generic medications are available. Last week, Amazon announced that drone delivery service Prime Air would now expand to include delivering prescriptions filled through Amazon Pharmacy. Amazon said that it would fulfill 500 different kinds of medication to treat illnesses like flu, pneumonia, and asthma, but only for customers in College Station, Texas in this first trial.
Update October 24, 1:50 p.m. ET: This article was updated to include Amazon’s decision to decline to comment.
