It’s International Cat Day and you know where it’s good to be a cat? Or dog? Or really any kind of pet? Florida is! A new study by Wallethub highlight’s 2023’s Most Pet Friendly Cities and two of the top three are right here in Florida. Tampa and St. Petersburg. Side note, this heat isn’t very pet-friendly. I didn’t even take my little dog out for a walk last night here in Fort Myers because it was still too hot even at 7pm.
To many of us, pets are family — even if they’re covered in fur, feathers or scales. Animal companionship is a great stress reliever, and the nearly 90.5 million households in the U.S. that own pets want to live places where their beloved companions can enjoy long, healthy lives without breaking the bank. In 2022, pet ownership cost Americans $136.8 billion, according to the American Pet Products Association.
Years ago, pet owners had access to only a handful of businesses offering animal services and supplies. Petco and PetSmart were among the biggest names. Now, the market for pet businesses is growing to fill increasing consumer demand, and new ways to buy goods for your animal have appeared, such as monthly subscription boxes. Florida is really leading the way in taking care of your pet. Miami has the most veterinarians (per square root of the population), 0.3585, which is 99.6 times more than in Newark, New Jersey, the city with the fewest at 0.0036.
With animal parents in mind, WalletHub compared the pet-friendliness of the 100 largest U.S. cities across 23 key metrics. Our data set ranges from minimum pet-care provider rate per visit to pet businesses per capita to walkability.
Veterinary Care Costs
Lowest- 1. Columbus, OH
- 2. Corpus Christi, TX
- 3. Raleigh, NC
- 4. Sacramento, CA
- 5. Kansas City, MO
Highest- 89. Anchorage, AK
- 90. Washington, DC
- 91. Chicago, IL
- T-92. New York, NY
- T-92. Plano, TX
Dog Insurance Premium
Lowest- T-1. Indianapolis, IN
- T-1. Fort Wayne, IN
- 3. Aurora, CO
- T-4. Memphis, TN
- T-4. Nashville, TN
Highest- T-91. Scottsdale, AZ
- T-91. San Francisco, CA
- T-91. Irvine, CA
- T-91. Los Angeles, CA
- T-91. New York, NY
Veterinarians per Capita
Most- T-1. Miami, FL
- T-1. Las Vegas, NV
- T-1. Tampa, FL
- T-1. Cincinnati, OH
- T-1. Orlando, FL
Fewest- 96. North Las Vegas, NV
- 97. Detroit, MI
- 98. Jersey City, NJ
- 99. Laredo, TX
- 100. Newark, NJ
Pet Businesses per Capita
Most- 1. Scottsdale, AZ
- 2. St. Petersburg, FL
- 3. Reno, NV
- 4. Birmingham, AL
- 5. Boise, ID
Fewest- 96. Detroit, MI
- 97. Los Angeles, CA
- 98. New York, NY
- 99. Laredo, TX
- 100. Newark, NJ
Dog-Friendly Restaurants per Capita
Most- T-1. Orlando, FL
- T-1. Austin, TX
- T-1. Seattle, WA
- T-1. Washington, DC
- T-1. Portland, OR
Fewest- 96. Stockton, CA
- 97. Newark, NJ
- 98. Laredo, TX
- 99. San Bernardino, CA
- 100. North Las Vegas, NV
Dog Parks per Capita
Most- T-1. New York, NY
- T-1. San Francisco, CA
- T-1. Portland, OR
- T-1. Las Vegas, NV
- T-1. Sacramento, CA
Fewest- 94. Garland, TX
- 95. Newark, NJ
- 96. Cleveland, OH
- T-97. Santa Ana, CA
- T-97. Hialeah, FL
Animal Shelters per Capita
Most- 1. Phoenix, AZ
- 2. St. Louis, MO
- 3. San Diego, CA
- 4. Atlanta, GA
- 5. Chicago, IL
Fewest- 94. Chula Vista, CA
- 95. Newark, NJ
- 96. Henderson, NV
- 97. Anaheim, CA
- 98. Long Beach, CA
