H.R. 8983 – PETS Act | Legislate.dev

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Updated June 2, 2026 at 6:11 AM UTC

The Practitioner Enforcement and Tracking of Substances (PETS) Act updates federal drug‑monitoring rules so that veterinarians must follow the same Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) requirements as other prescribers. It requires vets to report controlled‑substance dispensing for animal patients, using the animal owner’s information, and to report non‑fatal overdose events within 72 hours. The changes affect veterinarians, their animal patients, and the owners or caretakers of those animals.

Key Provisions

Amends the Public Health Service Act to require veterinarians to consult the PDMP before prescribing any controlled substance and to report dispensing of such substances, just like physicians.
Specifies that when reporting a veterinary patient, the veterinarian must provide the owner’s or primary caretaker’s information to the PDMP.
Expands the definition of “dispenser” in the law to include veterinarians alongside physicians.
Adds a new reporting requirement that any prescribing or dispensing practitioner must report a non‑fatal overdose event to the PDMP within 72 hours of the incident.
Changes language in the law from “may” to “shall” regarding drug misuse and abuse provisions, making compliance mandatory.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

May 21, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 21, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

May 21, 2026

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in HouseIssued May 21, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8983

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 21, 2026

Mr. Mills introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To increase compliance with PDMP requirements by veterinarians, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Practitioner Enforcement and Tracking of Substances Act or the PETS Act.

2.

Increasing compliance with PDMP requirements

(a)

Increasing compliance by veterinarians

(1)

In general

Section 399O(h)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g–3(h)(1)) is amended—

(A)

by striking Nothing in this section and inserting the following:

(1)

In general

Except as specified in paragraph (2), nothing in this section

; and

(B)

by adding at the end the following:

(2)

Veterinary patients

(A)

In general

Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to the authority of a State to prohibit reporting to the PDMP of the dispensing of a controlled substance to a minor patient, if—

(i)

the prescribing or dispensing practitioner is a veterinarian licensed in such State; and

(ii)

the patient to whom the controlled substance is prescribed or dispensed is a veterinary patient.

(B)

Information to be reported

A veterinarian described in subparagraph (A) shall report to the PDMP, in lieu of information required under this section relating to the veterinary patient involved, such information relating to the owner or primary caretaker of the veterinary patient.

.

(2)

Definition of dispenser

Section 399O(k)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g–3(k)(3)) is amended by striking physician, and inserting physician, veterinarian,.

(3)

Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that, notwithstanding State law, a veterinarian is required to comply with the requirements of section 399O of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g–3) with respect to consulting the PDMP (as defined in section 399O(k) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g–3(k))) prior to prescribing any controlled substance, and reporting any dispensing of a controlled substance to the PDMP to the same extent as any other practitioner (as defined in subsection (k) of such section) is required to comply with such requirements.

(b)

Reporting of non-Fatal overdoses

Section 399O(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g–3(b)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (5), by striking and at the end;

(2)

in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(7)

the reporting to the PDMP by each prescribing or dispensing practitioner, or their designee, of any instance of a non-fatal overdose event that required intervention by such practitioner (or designee), not later than 72 hours after such overdose event occurred.

.

(c)

Drug misuse and abuse

Section 399O(c)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g–3(c)(2)) is amended by striking may and inserting shall.