Michigan Is Home to One of the Least Pet-Friendly Cities in the Nation

Those of us of a certain age can recall a time - not too long ago - when most pets stayed at home. Except for taking them out for a walk or maybe putting them in the car for a trip to the vet, most people didn't really take their pets anywhere.

Times have changed.

SEE ALSO: 9 Animals That You Can't Have As a Pet in Michigan

It's not uncommon now to see people bringing their pets into stores with them. There are daycare facilities that cater exclusively to dogs and cats. We've moved way beyond seeing-eye dogs for the blind; "emotional support animals" now seem to be everywhere.

What Does It Mean to Be "Pet-Friendly"?

More and more places are considered to be "pet-friendly" - a term that varies from establishment to establishment and could mean anything from tolerant of your 4-legged family member to designed for them.

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A new nationwide survey by WalletHub set out to determine America's "Most Pet-Friendly Cities for 2024", and they took pet-friendliness to a whole new level. This survey looked at nearly two dozen different metrics to figure out which cities were great places for pets and pet-owners and which weren't.

Among the metrics considered:

• the average amount of money it's going to cost to care for your pet in each city;
• the quality of life that can be expected for your pet in each city - from the number of veterinarians available, to the number of restaurants that allow pets, to the percentage of the city's rental units that permit dogs or cats;
• and recreational opportunities for your pets, such as dog walks/trails, parks, and the typical weather.

America's Most and Least Pet-Friendly Cities

Warm weather locales like Scottsdale, Arizona; Tampa, Florida; and Las Vegas, Nevada topped the list as the most pet-friendly cities in the United States.

Michigan, however, didn't have any cities near the top of the list.

As a matter of fact, Detroit ranks among the worst ten cities in the nation for pet-friendliness. It's actually 4th-worst when it comes to pet health and wellness - things like pet service providers, pet-friendly businesses, and the availability of pet-friendly housing. Only Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Laredo, Texas; and Toledo, Ohio had poorer scores in that regard.

You can check out the full ranking of pet-friendly cities here.