The Best States For Dog Owners
For the Dogs
Pet parents, just how great is your state for your dog? Our Fit Pets recently released a survey that names the top states for dog owners. The website analyzed this criteria: access to parks and nature, dog-friendly rentals, access to veterinarians, the number of dog sitters, and the state’s crime rates. These states made the top ten.
#1: Vermont
Vermont wins as number one state for pups. There are 62 veterinarians per 100,000 people, which is more than the state average in other places. And if you're looking for a pet sitter, Vermont is a great place to be — the state ranked fourth for highest number of dog sitters. Of course, the outdoor lifestyle also helps, as pups are more likely to get plenty of activity.
#2: Colorado
With an abundance of outdoor activities, it's no wonder Colorado is the second best spot for dogs. This state wins for the highest number of dog walkers per 100,000 residents: 24. That's 251.3 percent higher than the state average of seven.
Wyoming
Another outdoorsy locale is one of the top spots. It comes in third because there's plenty of space to roam — the survey showed that only 9.8 residents share every single kilometer of parks and wildlife areas. The state average is a lot more, at 50.723 people per that amount of nature.
Oregon
Yes, the weather can be rainy, but that's not stopping dog owners from getting their pets outside. Not surprisingly, the state scores high in the nature category.
Washington
Right behind Oregon is Washington, which ranks high for dog sitters at 16.73 dog sitters per 100,000 residents. The state also comes with high scores for safety when dog walking.
#6: Montana
This outdoorsy state came in second to Wyoming for access to nature. It's also the state with the second highest amount of veterinarians per 100,000 residents.
#7: Utah
Dog owners in Utah enjoy ample outdoor space, which the state scored high for. Utah also scored high for dogwalking safety, beating out top 10 states like Montana.
#8: Idaho
Idaho come in third place in the nature score, which makes sense given the large amounts of open land. But if you need a dog sitter, you may have a "ruff" time finding one — Idaho has the lowest number per 100,000 residents of all the top ten states.
#9: Maine
Maine scored the highest of all the states when it comes to dogwalking safety. The state also has a somewhat larger than average amount of veterinarians than other states.
#10: Arizona
Finally, Arizona rounds out the top 10 thanks to offering one of the highest amounts of rental homes that are pet-friendly. Nearly half of rentals are labeled as such, and the state beats other states' averages by having about 68 percent more pet-friendly rentals available.
If you're curious who came in last, Louisiana is number 50. The state has a very low score for amount of dog sitters as well as dog walking safety.
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