Dogs are a part of the family. So, of course, many people want their dog’s input when it comes to where they live. While most dogs are content wherever their loved ones are, others would prefer locations where there are countless dog-friendly activities. All cities have their pros and cons for life as a dog, but some are notably better than others.
Do you live in one of the best U.S. cities for dogs? Now you can find out for sure! Honest Paws did some research to help determine which cities were the best to be a dog in. The results might surprise you.
How Were The Top Cities Determined?
Honest Paws selected 50 major U.S. cities and analyzed them based on nine different factors. These factors helped give each city a score of up to 50. Each category was weighted differently.
Here are the factors that led to these scores:
- Number of Pet-Friendly Restaurants (per 100k people)
- Weight: 1.0
- Number of Pet-Friendly Breweries (per 100k people)
- Weight: 1.0
- Number of Pet-Friendly Hotels (per 100k people)
- Weight: 1.0
- Number of Pet-Friendly Beaches (per 100k people)
- Weight: 1.0
- Number of Pet-Friendly Rentals (per 100k people)
- Weight: 1.5
- Number of Dog Parks (per 100k people)
- Weight: 1.5
- Number of Employed Veterinarians in the Metropolitan Statistical Area (per 100k people)
- Weight: 1.5
- Number of Hiking Trails (per 100k people)
- Weight: 0.5
- Stance on Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) by State
- Weight: 1.0
Overall, the most dog-friendly cities have the most pet-friendly options and the least breed restrictions. The data from these factors helped calculate that.
Best U.S. Cities to Be a Dog
After taking all factors into account, Honest Paws chose the most dog-friendly cities based on the statistics. Out of the 50 cities analyzed, these were the best options for dogs:
- Tampa, FL (40.36)
- Portland, OR (40.03)
- Orlando, FL (39.43)
- Seattle, WA (37.50)
- St. Louis, MO (35.81)
- San Diego, CA (34.70)
- Denver, CO (34.44)
- Pittsburgh, PA (34.22)
- Miami, FL (31.83)
- Richmond, VA (31.63)
Many of these cities, especially those in Florida, ranked high because of their variety of dog-friendly options. In fact, Tampa is number one because it has 16 dog parks, 52 pet-friendly breweries, and six dog-friendly beaches.
It’s also exciting to see Denver on the list since they recently ended their 30-year ban on Pit Bulls. Before then, the city still had lots of parks and hiking trails, but now all dogs can be included!
Worst U.S. Cities to Be a Dog
Unfortunately, not all cities aced this test. A few places scored significantly lower than others due to a lack of dog-friendly places or strict rules. So, here are the least dog-friendly U.S. cities, according to this study:
- Indianapolis, IN (11.59)
- Louisville, KY (12.62)
- Milwaukee, WI (12.71)
- New York, NY (12.79)
- Columbus, OH (12.80)
- Memphis, TN (13.77)
- Riverside, CA (14.27)
- Houston, TX (14.53)
- Philadelphia, PA (14.57)
- Detroit, MI (14.77)
Most of these cities ranked lower because they have less dog-friendly accommodations, especially the ones that experience cold winters. Some of the other big cities don’t have enough space for dogs to play, and some don’t have many veterinarians available.
Don’t Be Discouraged by These Lists
If your home is on the list of worst U.S. cities for dogs, there’s no need to panic. Many dogs still happily live in these locations with no complaints. Plus, only 50 cities were analyzed based on nine specific factors, so that alone can’t tell you whether or not your dog will be happy there. Most dogs don’t need all those parks and hotels to live happily. All they need is their loving family.
But if you’re looking to move to a new location, it can’t hurt to check out one of the highest-ranking cities. Check out the full list of results to see exactly how Honest Paws came to these conclusions.
But the bottom line is that your dog will love where they live as long as you give them lots of love and care!
Toledo, United States.
