This Florida city ranks as No. 1 most dog friendly in the nation. Why it’s a ‘haven’
A Florida city is a “haven” for pups — and ranks as the nation’s most dog-friendly destination, a new report finds.
Tampa ranks No. 1 on a list of places offering activities and services catered to furry friends.
But it wasn’t the only destination in the Sunshine State to rank in the top 10. Miami landed at No. 4 on the list, which Tractor Supply Company published Jan. 8.
To determine the best places for dogs, the home improvement company said it studied 50 of the most-populous cities across the country. It considered travel-related factors, such as the presence of dog-friendly hotels, pet sitters and activities for four-legged companions.
“Data was collected from a variety of publicly available sources, including Rover, hotel booking sites, restaurant review sites, airline and hotel policies, and Trust for Public Land data,” a Tractor Supply Company spokesperson told McClatchy News via email.
What makes Tampa dog friendly?
Tampa topped the list after it was found to be a “haven for dog-friendly amenities.” The city’s offerings include more than 200 hotels that welcome pups, receiving average review scores of 8.3.
“When looking at the data based on the per capita numbers, Tampa ranked highest for the number of dog-friendly restaurants available per capita, #2 for the most dog-friendly hotels, and #4 for the number of dog-friendly activities, dog parks and 24-hour vets individually,” the spokesperson wrote. “These high ranks contributed to their overall index score, making them #1 overall for their dog-friendly amenities.”
Meanwhile, Miami’s concentration of dog-friendly hotels and doggy day cares helped to give it a boost in the rankings, results show.
In addition to Tampa and Miami, the destinations rounding out the top five:
- Austin, Texas, at No. 2
- Portland, Oregon, at No. 3
- Tucson, Arizona, at No. 5
