ORLANDO RANKS AMONG BEST U.S. CITIES TO BE A DOG, STUDY FINDS
Source: Orlando Sentinel (Extract)
Posted: January 22, 2021
Orlando is a city where canines can thrive, ranking among the best U.S. cities to be a dog, according to a ranking from pet product brand Honest Paws.
The City Beautiful comes in second place among the 20 most dog-friendly cities, falling just behind Tampa in the ranking.
Criteria for the list include the number of pet-friendly businesses, access to veterinary care and the number of dog parks. Honest Paws also gave points to states that are against breed-specific legislation, which can mean less discrimination for breeds like pit bulls, Rottweilers and Mastiffs.
Orlando was recognized for having “376 pet-friendly restaurants, 128 pet-friendly hotels, and 15 veterinarians within its 113.7 square mileage,” according to Honest Paw’s research using sources such as Yelp, BringFido and the ASPCA.
Tampa got extra points for its canine-friendly shopping villages and off-leash beaches, not to mention the number of dog parks and pet-friendly breweries. However, Honest Paws elevated both cities because Hillsborough County and Orange County have not enacted breed-specific legislation.
Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Portland, Miami and Denver also fall within the top 10 overall list.
Orlando ranks second among most pet-friendly apartment and house rentals with 258.69 per 100,000 people, beat only by Atlanta. However, the City Beautiful tops the list for most access to veterinary care with 5.35 vets per 100,000 people.