The most pet-friendly cities in 2022
With National Homeless Animals Day approaching and more than 90.5 million U.S. pet-owning households who spent $123.6 billion last year on their animal companions, WalletHub today released a detailed report on the most pet-friendly cities pets in 2022.
To our surprise, four California cities were listed among the least pet-friendly cities.
To determine where Americans’ animal companions can enjoy the best quality of life without breaking the bank, WalletHub compared the friendliness of the 100 largest cities across 23 key metrics. The data set ranges from the minimum rate of pet care provider per visit to pet businesses per capita to walkability.
Most pet-friendly cities
1. Scottsdale, AZ
2. Tampa, Florida
3. Portland, OR
4. St. Louis, Missouri
5. Cincinnati, Ohio
6. St. Petersburg, Florida
7. Lexington-Fayette, KY
8. Las Vegas, Nevada
9. Colorado Springs, CO
10. Raleigh, North Carolina
Least animal-friendly cities
91. Fresno, CA
92. Fremont, CA
93. Chandler, AZ
94. Chula Vista, CA
95. Detroit, Michigan
96. Chicago, IL
97. New York, NY
98. Honolulu, Hawaii
99. Baltimore, MD
100. Santa Ana, CA
Key statistics
- Columbus, Ohio has the lowest average cost of veterinary care (annual exam), $38.42, which is 2.5 times less than Plano, Texas, the city with the highest at $97.65.
- Miami has the most veterinarians (per square root of population), 0.3446, or 90.7 times more than Newark, New Jersey, the city with the fewest at 0.0038.
- Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Indiana have the lowest monthly premium for dog insurance, $39.75, 2.5 times less than Los Angeles and Irvine, California, the cities with the highest premium at $97 $.46.
- Reno, Nevada has the most pet businesses (per square root of population), 0.4791, 9.4 times more than Newark, New Jersey, the city with the fewest at 0.0509 .
Expert commentary
What advice do you have for individuals and families looking to own pets without breaking the bank?
“There are a lot of free things people can do with their pets that are totally free. For example, taking your dog for a walk or hike or visiting dog-friendly establishments like hardware stores. You can also DIY pet enrichment devices for home use. For example, cats love empty boxes and paper bags… There’s no substitute for spending time interacting with your pet and it’s probably good for both of you… It’s also possible to buy inexpensive, balanced and nutritious pet food. Read labels and choose quality options that are well known to be nutritious, rather than a fad or fad diet. Many cities now offer low-cost veterinary care options. Try contacting your local SPCA for more information.
— Nancy R. Gee, Ph.D. – Professor; Director, Center for Human-Animal Interaction, VCU School of Medicine
“Come to the shelter or shelter to adopt your pets! Most dogs and cats will have an exam, some vaccinations, and deworming completed before adoption. They will probably already be neutered or neutered at the shelter. The animal should see a veterinarian as soon as it is adopted, but you will probably save a little in veterinary costs the first year since the animal will have already had some of its necessary treatments. Shelter adoption fees are very reasonable compared to buying an animal from a breeder or pet store, as these adoption fees can be very expensive.
— Dawn Spangler – Director of Small Animal Clinical Skills and Associate Professor, Lincoln Memorial University
What steps can local authorities take to make their towns more animal-friendly?
“Cities can and should include clear leash laws and animal welfare ordinances to keep all animals safe and make those ordinances known to the public. Encouraging responsible pet ownership starts there. The next step is to build an infrastructure that includes pets as part of the human family. This means allowing pets on public transport (assuming clear rules have been established for safe use of public transport and are clearly posted), creating wide, pet-friendly aisles with necessity stations areas along the path (water and toilet areas with poop bags), encourage businesses to allow pets inside or provide pet areas for people with pets servants with them on shopping trips. In short, treat pets like family, because they are just that.
— Nancy R. Gee, Ph.D. – Professor; Director, Center for Human-Animal Interaction, VCU School of Medicine
“Local authorities can make their city more pet-friendly by dedicating and maintaining space for public dog parks, ensuring local ordinances provide animal control services that include housing and adoption of stray animals as well as penalties for cruelty and neglect, and trap/neuter/release (TNR) of community cats. All of these services are important for animal welfare in their city which can also improve human health by strengthening the human-animal bond. Animal population management through animal control and TNR also serves to protect human health with the control of zoonotic diseases such as rabies which is a fatal disease in humans and animals.
— Dawn Spangler – Director of Small Animal Clinical Skills and Associate Professor, Lincoln Memorial University
What are the pros and cons of getting pet insurance? Do you recommend it?
“Each person should evaluate pet insurance options for themselves and their own financial situation. In some cases, having pet insurance can make the difference in whether one can save their pet’s life. or if one has to admit that one cannot afford the care their pet needs. In other cases, pet insurance may not provide the coverage one would expect in based on their own use of health insurance. Pet insurance is different from human insurance, so be sure to read the fine print and ask questions. For example, your pet insurance Will it cover treatment at your favorite veterinarian’s office?Sometimes insurance will only cover a small portion of the cost and in other cases it will require you to take your pet to a specific veterinarian.
— Nancy R. Gee, Ph.D. – Professor; Director, Center for Human-Animal Interaction, VCU School of Medicine
“I would recommend pet insurance to anyone with a pet. Pet insurance is especially important to cover expenses in the event of an emergency or serious illness suffered by the animal. Often these types of situations are unexpected and can become very expensive, especially if the animal needs surgery or an extended hospital stay.You can usually tailor the policy to your needs, such as comprehensive coverage that includes from annual wellness visits to emergency and chronic illness coverage.Like all insurance, you can pay without needing it, but it gives you peace of mind in case your pet gets sick or has an emergency. and would need intensive care.If you are not investing in an insurance policy, it is strongly recommended that you have a dedicated savings account for your pet in case of emergency. ns unexpected vets would be needed for him.
— Dawn Spangler – Director of Small Animal Clinical Skills and Associate Professor, Lincoln Memorial University
To view the full report and ranking for your city, click here.
