#1 Worst Place To Have A Pet? Boston
Hold on to your leashes, Boston! WalletHub just dropped their 2024 list of the Most Pet-Friendly Cities in the U.S., and guess what? Our beloved Beantown came in dead last….
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Hold on to your leashes, Boston! WalletHub just dropped their 2024 list of the Most Pet-Friendly Cities in the U.S., and guess what? Our beloved Beantown came in dead last.
Yup, you read that right. Out of the 100 largest cities across the country, Boston is at the very bottom when it comes to pampering our furry, feathered, and even scaly friends. It's the worst place to have a pet.
So, what's the deal?
With 86.9 million U.S. households expected to shell out a staggering $150.6 billion on pets this year, you’d think Boston would be a top spot for pet lovers.
But WalletHub’s deep dive into 23 key metrics, from vet costs to walkability, tells a different story.
Boston’s rankings are, well, ruff. (Get it?)
We’re talking 92nd for veterinary care costs and 91st for dog insurance premiums. Want easy access to a vet? We’re stuck at 79th for veterinarians per capita. And if you're hoping to find a cozy pet business or a dog-friendly restaurant, you’re looking at 56th place for both. Ouch.
The only bright spot?
We managed to snag 26th place for dog parks per capita. So, at least our pooches have a few places to run free.
But overall, Boston is barking up the wrong tree when it comes to being pet-friendly.
Why is Boston the worst place to have a pet?
Diane M. Sullivan, Assistant Dean & Professor of Law at Massachusetts School of Law, has some thoughts. She points out that high expenses, long work hours, and pet restrictions in apartments make pet ownership tough in the city. Plus, there’s the heartbreaking trend of people giving up pets they adopted during the pandemic once they returned to the office.
To many of us, pets are family. They’re the stress relievers who greet us at the door after a long day. And they deserve to live in a place that makes life easy for them and their humans. So, what’s a Bostonian pet lover to do? Maybe it's time for the city to step up its game.
For now, if you’re looking for a pet paradise, you might want to check out the top five cities on WalletHub’s list: Scottsdale, AZ; Tampa, FL; Las Vegas, NV; Birmingham, AL; and Lexington, KY. As for Boston, let’s hope we can climb out of the dog house!
