Top 5 Dog Friendly Cities in the US
According to the award-winning website HowStuffWorks.com, a pet-friendly city is one with lots of open spaces, great veterinarians and an active Humane Society. Here’s their list of top 5 cities in the United States and some of the dog-friendly perks they offer.
5: Orlando, Florida
As of 2006, dogs are permitted to sit with their owners in the outdoor areas of most restaurants in this world-famous family-friendly city. And the magical land of Disney World offers pet kennels for families who don’t want to leave their pets alone while they’re spending a long day at the parks.
4: Colorado Springs, Colorado
This beautiful city offers an incredible amount of outdoor space for your pet to enjoy on- and off-leash, including: Palmer Park, Cheyenne Meadows, Rampart Park, the Garden of the Gods and Red Rock Canyon.
3: San Diego, California
Ah, lovely and temperate San Diego. Most beaches here let dogs run off-leash and there’s even the aptly named Dog Beach. The Otay Ranch Town Shopping Center offers pet-sitting services and a 10,000 square foot dog park. Plus, you may want to stop by Paw Pleasers, where they specialize in pet birthday cakes and all sorts of customized treats.
2: New York City, New York
Of course, the ultimate “urban jungle” is pet-friendly. You can explore Central Park, Midtown or Downtown with your pooch thanks to New York Dog Tours. The Barking Dog is one of many pet-friendly restaurants in the city. Plus, there are dog-friendly areas located throughout all 5 boroughs (http://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/dogareas).
1: Portland, Oregon
Portland tops the list, not just because of its abundance of outdoor areas for pets (33 dog parks!), but also because of how seriously it takes its love of animals. Every July, the Grotto – a botanical garden and Catholic shrine – hosts a “Blessing of the Animals.” Folks come from everywhere with a wide variety of animals to give thanks for their critter companions.
Portland was also ranked number one by PawNation in a survey that included other U.S. cities such as: Minneapolis, Minnesota; Phoenix, Arizona; San Francisco, California; and Austin, Texas.
Sources:
Animal Planet: http://animal.discovery.com/pets/pet-travel/5-pet-friendly-travel-cities-in-the-us.htm
How Stuff Works: http://www.howstuffworks.com/about-hsw.htm
PawNation: http://www.pawnation.com/2013/05/17/top-10-us-cities-for-dogs-ranked/2
Orlando Sentinel: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-04-27/business/os-pets-restaurants-hotels-policy-20120427_1_doggie-dining-lists-restaurants-dog-owners
Disney Pet Kennels: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/best-friends-pet-care/
Colorado Springs Govt. Website: http://www.springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=1611
San Diego Dog Beach: http://www.oceanbeachsandiego.com/dog-beach-ob
San Diego Pet-Friendly Hotels: http://www.sandiego.org/articles/pets/pet-friendly-hotels.aspx
Otay Ranch Town Shopping Center: http://www.otayranchtowncenter.com/dining-entertainment
Zerve New York Dog Tours: http://www.zerve.com/NYDogTours
The Barking Dog Restaurant: http://www.barkingdog94.com/
NYC Parks: http://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/dogareas
Portland Grotto: http://www.thegrotto.org/events/blessing-of-the-animals/
