FOI – Veterinary Prescriptions
Published 13 January 2026
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vmd-foieir-requests-october-2025/foi-veterinary-prescriptions
ATI1133 Request
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 I request the following information for the calendar years 2000-2025 (please provide data in a machine-readable format where possible, e.g., CSV or Excel):
1.) The total number of veterinary prescriptions issued for animals held at licensed zoos within the UK where the medicine prescribed was a psychotropic/CNS-active drug. For each year please provide (a) the annual total across all
licensed zoos, and (b) where available, a breakdown by zoo name (or licence holder).
If possible please include the following zoos, Bristol, London, Paignton, Edinburgh, Chester, Marwell, Yorkshire, Hertfordshire and Blackpool. Could you also include the Blair Drummond safari park, Monkey world and Longleat.
2.) For each prescription in (1), where available, provide: drug name, date (or month/year), species (or species group), and stated reason for prescription (behavioural/psychiatric or other clinical reason). If you cannot provide individual prescription rows, please provide annual totals by drug name and species group.
3.) If you do not hold this information centrally, please confirm which specific public body(ies) or local authorities hold records of medicines administered in licensed zoos, and whether you can provide contact details or advise how I can obtain aggregated counts.
Examples of medicines to include (non-exhaustive): fluoxetine, sertraline, clomipramine, trazodone, diazepam, midazolam, alprazolam, haloperidol, zuclopenthixol, olanzapine, risperidone, gabapentin, pregabalin.
Our reply
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) does not directly keep records of individual veterinary prescriptions. However, we regulate and enforce the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR), which require that certain records be kept by those involved in the supply, administration, and use of veterinary medicines in the UK.
We are not aware of any specific public body or local authority that may hold such records.