Everyone knows that all it takes to turn a ruff day into a good one is a furry friend! And to many non-NYers surprise, NYC is actually ranked one of the top 10 best cities for dog lovers.
The ranking was based off of a study done by Protect My Paws, measuring cities by ratios of dogs to people, dogs per km2 (~0.39 square miles), and the best dog facilities by collecting data from academic reports, the number of registered dogs (strays not included) and official government statistics.
Out of 54 world cities studied, NYC came out at #10 for the best city in the world for dog lovers.
Paris was ranked as the #1 city for dog lovers while having the most dogs per km2 (approximately 2,857 dogs per square km). NYC followed nine cities behind with 765 dogs per square km. Of the top 10, four cities made it from the U.S.: Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, & of course, NYC.
According to the study, NYC has a population of 8,804,190 people & 600,000 dogs, making a ratio of 6.8 dogs to 100 humans.
From dog-friendly cafes to offices, furry friends are as essential to New Yorkers as their Metrocard and ear buds. You’ll see a plethora of dogs as soon as you step outside from your daily walks, to subway rides, and coffee breaks!
According to Patch, the city makes up “nearly 18 percent of the 810 dog parks in America’s 100 largest cities” from numbers taken in 2019. These dog parks can easily be found across all five boroughs with NYC Parks handy “Dog-friendly Areas Near You” search function.
So whether you’re looking for a midday lick me up from a wagging best friend, or a pup to pet, lucky for you you’re in the right place!