To add to the list of reasons of why our city is so great, New
Orleans is ranked as the eighth most pet-friendly city in the U.S.
Wallethub.com revealed that owning a pet, which over
80 million American households do, can be pretty pricy, depending on where you
live.
Looking back on how pet-friendly businesses were, Petco and
PetSmart were the two best-known animal-service and -supply stores. Now, the
pet food industry has reached over $95 billion in global value. New businesses
like Chewy.com have options for monthly subscriptions that supply food,
toys, treats, and more.
Although pets can be great companions and can also help
relieve stress, they can be tough on the wallet. Licenses, grooming, and
medical care can cost around $200 to $2,000 annually. Some question if health
insurance for pets, which can run nearly $200 a year for a dog, is even worth
it. On top of that, pet fees in houses or apartments are extremely pricy,
ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
Luckily, WalletHub was able to compare the pet-friendliness
of America's 100 largest cities. Their data "ranges from minimum pet-care
provider rate per visit to pet businesses per capita to walkability."
To determine the scores, they compared three key dimensions
across the cities: 1) Pet Budget, 2) Pet Health and Wellness, and 3)
Outdoor Pet-Friendliness.
"We evaluated those dimensions using 25 relevant metrics,
which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded
on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable
conditions for pets and their owners," WalletHub explained.
For example:
Pet Budget
—Total Points: 25
- Veterinary
Care Costs: Full Weight (10.00 Points)
- Minimum
Pet-Care Provider Rate per Visit: Half Weight (5.00 Points)
- (Dog Insurance Premium: Full Weight (10.00 Points)
This system continues for the other two key dimensions. Lastly,
they determined "each city's weighted average across all metrics to calculate
its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order [their] sample."
New Orleans ranked eighth, with a total score of 55.38. Out
of the 100 cities evaluated, our pet budget was ranked 20th. Pet health and
wellness came in at 27th, and we were the 26th city for outdoor
pet-friendliness. Another positive note for our great city is the fact that we
do not fall into the "worst city" ranking for categories such as highest vet
care cost or for fewest dog-friendly restaurants.
Other rankings for New Orleans that show the city's pet-friendliness, according to WalletHub,
include (1=Most Pet-Friendly and 50=Average):
- 28th- Dog
Insurance Premium
- 14th -
Dog-Friendly Restaurants per Capita
- 18th- Percentage
of Pet-Friendly Hotels
- 27th- Walk
Score
- 50th -
Animal Shelters per Capita
- 18th - WalletHub
"States with the Fewest Coronavirus Restrictions" Score
Although we are not first on the list, it is safe to say
that, with the number of pets we see around the city and the many businesses
and locations that cater to them, New Orleans is pet-friendly.
