Like we needed a survey to tell us we love our pets.
WalletHub released its 2017 list of the most pet-friendly cities in America — and Tampa and St. Pete are right up there at the top. Tampa is #3, behind only two Arizona cities — Scottsdale and Phoenix — while St. Pete comes in at a respectable #13.
For Florida completists: Orlando is fifth. Miami is 20th — surprisingly high, considering that Miami-Dade is now the only county left in Florida with a pet-unfriendly, not to mention horribly unwise and unjust, pit bull ban. Jacksonville is 56th. Hialeah is 75th.
WalletHub's press release explains analysts focused on "three key dimensions: pet budget, pet health and wellness and outdoor pet-friendliness", all of which were evaluated on 21 "relevant metrics." These metrics include things like the number of dog parks and restaurants where dogs are welcome, pet-friendly rental availability, how expensive pet insurance is and the weather.
Not being math people exactly, we really can't say if the company's methodology is any good. What we can say is that we are fully on board with our region being recognized in this manner.
After all we are home to Fort De Soto's Dog Beach — which, to our and our dogs' minds, is actually the happiest place on earth. We've also got not one but two dog bars, a senior prom for dogs, a newly elected dog mayor (watch this space for more on Mayor Puppypants), plus a whole dang festival for rescue pets. And this is not to mention that St. Pete was home to one of the most famous and inspiring rescue dogs in the world — the magnificent Khalessi, who was named Underdog of the Year at the 2016 World Dog Awards. (We miss you, K.) Don't forget Eckerd College's utterly delightful annual pet graduation ceremony, either.
Really, we could go on and on and on and on some more about how fantastic this part of the world is for pets. Instead, why don't you go on and on — what are your favorite pet-related places, businesses, and activities here in Tampa Bay? Let us know in the comments. We are always, always looking for great new things to check out with our bestest furry pals.
Meantime, obviously we have to plan a trip to Arizona and find out what they've got that we don't….Yet…Three dog bars, maybe?
This article appears in Aug 10-17, 2017.