If you’re looking for a pet friendly city to go on vacation in you might want to pack some warm clothing as northern cities rank at the top for pet friendliness.
Colorado Springs ranks first on the list of pet friendly US cities with Madison, Wisconsin and Portland, Oregon rounding out the top three, according to a study by PetLab.
For its study, PetLab analyzed 19 factors that could contribute to the pet friendliness of a US city, including the number of dog parks, the cost of a vet visit, and average pet insurance. Each factor was ranked out of ten to create an overall pet-friendly Index Score out of 100 for all US cities.
With a score of 63.85 out of 100, Colorado Springs ranks first. The study cited several factors for its ranking which focuses on supporting a pet friendly environment. The city ranks in eighth place for the percentage of hotels allowing pets and first for air quality, having the lowest number of pollutants. The city also holds the title for the third most veterinarians at 0.949 per 1,000 jobs.
Meanwhile, scoring 63.58 out of 100, Madison, Wisconsin, ranked as the second-most pet-friendly US state. Highlights of this city include having the fifth cheapest average dog insurance quote of $41.18 and average cat insurance of $16.04.
Portland was found to be the third-most pet-friendly city in the US, with a score of 62.47 out of 100. Per 1,000 jobs, Portland has the fourth highest number of vet assistant and technician jobs at 131,200, with many people on hand to support your furry friend.
Rounding out the top five, Tucson, Arizona, is fourth on the list, scoring 61.90 out of 100 across the 19 factors while Lexington, Kentucky ranked as the fifth best city for pet lovers and their pets in the US, with a pet-friendly Index Score of 61.22 out of 100.
Lexington has the highest number of veterinarians registered per 1,000 jobs at 1.074. Compared with all other US cities, Lexington has the highest number of pet caretakers so that your pet can be looked after when you are away.
Christopher Masanto, co-founder & CEO of PetLab Co., said, “This data provides a fascinating insight into which cities offer pet lovers the best and most affordable experience for their furry friends. Colorado Springs stands out as a top spot for pet lovers, due to its highly combined ratings for several factors that contribute to a strong environment for a pet. ”
Masanto continued, “A pet’s well-being is a huge priority to their owners and there are many factors that contribute to their quality of life including green space, veterinary check-ups, and insurance for the pet owners’ piece of mind.”
“A good environment is crucial in deciding whether to bring a pet into your life and this analysis reveals the US cities where there are better amenities available,” Masanto continued.
The Ten Most Pet-Friendly US Cities
| Â City | State | Score (/100) | Rank |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado | 63.85 | 1 |
| Madison | Wisconsin | 63.58 | 2 |
| Portland | Oregon | 62.47 | 3 |
| Tucson | Arizona | 61.90 | 4 |
| Lexington | Kentucky | 61.22 | 5 |
| Raleigh | North Carolina | 60.97 | 6 |
| Norfolk | Virginia | 60.51 | 7 |
| Boise | Idaho | 60.51 | 8 |
| Albuquerque | New Mexico | 60.35 | 9 |
| Urban Honolulu | Hawaii | 60.13 | 10 |
| San Diego | California | 59.59 | 11 |
For the study, PetLab looked at 19 factors including:
The factors analyzed for the index included:
- Average vet assistant & technician annual income
- Vet assistant & technician jobs per 1,000 jobs
- Average veterinarian annual income
- Veterinarians per 1,000 jobs
- Average pet caretaker’s annual income
- Pet caretakers per 1,000 jobs
- Average dog insurance
- Average cat insurance
- % of hotels allowing pets
- Number of pet-friendly restaurants per 100k
- Pet-friendly restaurant average rating
- Cost of vet office visit
- Full vaccine cost (dog)
- Full vaccine cost (cat)
- Parks as a % of city area
- Number of dog parks per 100k
- Air quality index
- Annual precipitation
- Average daily temperature difference from 72 Fahrenheit