Barking up the right tree
Fort Worth collars top spot among most pet-friendly cities in America
There’s no doubt that pet owners in Fort Worth love their four-legged friends, and a new ranking of the most pet-friendly cities in America says just as much.
WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities in terms of pet budget, pet health and wellness, and outdoor pet-friendliness to determine the best and worst places for our furry friends. Fort Worth ranks 25th best in the nation.
Cowtown impresses as the 23rd best city for a pet’s health and wellness, which the study determines by tallying up the number of veterinarians, animal trainers, caretakers, dog-friendly restaurants, and more per capita. The study also scores health and wellness in terms of home sizes, pet-friendliness in the rental market, and welcoming hotels.
The city performs consistently at No. 27 for pet budget, which takes into account Fort Worth's low veterinary care costs (No. 13), as well as the higher costs of visits to pet-care providers (No. 37) and dog insurance premiums (No. 48).
Interestingly, while the city boasts better weather (No. 32) and more dog shows per capita (No. 36) than most studied, Fort Worth also has fewer dog-friendly trails and dog parks per capita, contributing to its No. 76 ranking in outdoor pet-friendliness. The ranking also considered Fort Worth's share of parklands (No. 75) and walk score (No. 80).
Fort Worth is the top dog in DFW, with Arlington (No. 46), Garland (No. 56), Dallas (No. 59), and Irving (No. 77) falling behind. Plano sneaks in just after Fort Worth, as the No. 28 most pet-friendly city in America.
Texas has no shortage of pet hot spots, according to WalletHub, with Austin ranking No. 4 overall, followed by San Antonio at No. 22 and Houston at No. 35. At the top of the list is Scottsdale, Arizona. The least pet-friendly city, though, is Fresno, California.