The 20 Worst U.S. Cities to Raise a Dog In

Dog

Say what you want about where you live or want to live, but facts are facts. Some places are just not good for raising dogs. And it’s not that they’re bad places to live with a dog, it’s just that they aren’t ideal for several reasons. Some reasons include high cost of veterinary care, a lack of nearby veterinarians, a lack of pet businesses and even a high cost of veterinary insurance for animals. When this information is compiled and put together, there are a few places that rank among the worst in the country for dog ownership, and we thought we’d share those with you and see how you feel about raising dogs in these cities and towns.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

Lincoln

One of the worst cities for raising a dog is this area in Nebraska. The cost of living with a dog is remarkably high here, which is why so many people have an issue keeping a dog. With the high cost of raising animals here, it’s no wonder why so many families have to make the decision to forgo getting a dog even though they really want one. It’s not something that they necessarily want to do, but it is often something that they have to do for financial reasons.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

Baltimore

Aside from the fact that Baltimore is not the place to be these days, raising a dog here is just more expensive than other places. And when you consider the fact that the city is going through difficult times, that there is a high crime rate, there is a lot of drug use and that the cost of living here is a bit high in comparison to other local areas, you might want to just cross the location right off your list of places to consider.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

Los Angeles

LA is a great place for dogs if you ask the people who live here. They have so many places to take their dogs on walks and bike rides and when they exercise. They have a ton of places that allow dogs to come in and enjoy a meal with you, and there are a number of hiking trails, parks and paths. But it’s expensive to own a dog in LA and that’s just the price you pay if you want to live somewhere with beautiful weather you and the dogs can enjoy together.

Photo by Getty Images

Dog Park Action

San Antonio

San Antonio is gorgeous for many reasons, but professionals state that it’s just not one of the more ideal places in which to raise a dog. There is a lot of expense to consider raising a dog here, and that’s something that prevents a lot of people from obtaining a dog in the first place. Additionally, there are nowhere near the number of vets here that a city of this size actually needs to take care of all the animals that require their assistance.

Photo by Getty Images

 Dog Park

Houston

A big city, for certain, dogs are not as welcome here as they might be in other places. For one, it’s difficult to find dog locations and it’s difficult to find affordable care for your dogs. This includes everything from veterinary care to classes that will help your dog to learn what it needs to learn in terms of training and all that good stuff. There’s not much going here for dogs, and that’s a shame when you stop and think about it.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

Louisville

This Kentucky city is known for being lovely and welcoming, but it’s not ideal for dogs. Sure, it’s pretty and the weather is nice in the summer and there are plenty of outdoor areas in which your dog can enjoy himself, but that does not mean that you will find it easy to raise a dog here. It’s expensive and there is not as much going for dogs here as there is going against dogs here, which is certainly something to consider.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

San Bernardino

This California city is not good for dogs. It’s funny to think that there is any place in Cali that isn’t good for dogs when you think about the beautiful weather, the many nature trails and the overall pet friendliness of the entire area. But it’s just the way the cookie crumbles, I guess. This is a city in which caring for a pet is highly expensive and often out of the budget for many families. It doesn’t make sense to have a pet that costs thousands of dollars each year to care for in the opinion of many local families.

Photo by Getty Images

Dogs at Play

Indianapolis

This lovely city is cold, but dogs don’t hate that. This is not the reason, however, that so many people here choose not to own a dog. The real reason is the simple cost of owning animals in Indianapolis. It’s very expensive, and it tops many lists for being bad for dogs for that reason. The lack of veterinary care for the number of people in the area, the expense and the entire concept of owning a dog here is just too much for those who want to afford it.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

Nashville

You would think that in a southern city in which so many of the homes have big yards and a lot of space that more people would want dogs, but it just is not the case. Many of the people here are unable to have dogs because it’s so expensive. In fact, it’s so expensive to have a dog here that most people just don’t. Additionally, there is a major lack of areas in which you can actually take a dog, get dog supplies and enjoy owning one.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

El Paso

There is a lot about El Paso that you might consider bad for dogs. It’s across the border from one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico, there is a significant drug problem and there are some border issues around here. However, it’s also not a good city for dogs when you account for the number of vets in comparison to animals in need, and also when you consider the cost of owning a dog here.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

Wichita

Kansas might be a lovely state, but the people who live in Wichita don’t really think that owning a dog is worth it. There are so many factors to consider, and one of those is the cost of owning a pet. It’s not cheap to have a dog around here, and that is something that many people will confirm as they go about their business owning animals without proper veterinary care or even enough places to get things for their dogs that they need to keep them healthy and happy.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

Lubbock

Lubbock is a place that I wouldn’t want to live either. This entire area of Texas makes me so sad with its lack of anything, but the people who live there love it. I have to fly into here next month as a matter of fact to go to my grandmother’s farm about two hours away to see her for a family reunion, and it seems that Lubbock isn’t any better for dogs than it is for me, personally. There is minimal care, a high cost and just not much going for those who want to have a dog.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

Chicago

Aside from being windy, it’s expensive to live in Chicago – for everyone. But it’s not just you that will see a great deal of financial expense living here. It’s your dog, too. There are plenty of vets in the area if you know where to live, but there are also a lot of higher costs associated with owning a dog around here than there are in many other places across the country. You might want to think about owning a dog here before you make this kind of financial decision.

Photo by Getty Images

Dog

Philadelphia

Philadelphia is on a lot of lists these days, and few of them are very flattering. For example, the city made the list of the most dangerous cities in the country. It’s got a high crime rate, it’s got a drug problem and there are so many other issues that the city is facing right now. It seems that the cost of raising a dog is one of those issues anymore. There are so many high costs associated with dog ownership around here that few people can actually afford to own one.

Photo by Getty Images

Dog Park Action

Jacksonville

It’s a beautiful city in Florida. It would seem like a great place to own a dog with its gorgeous weather, beaches and so many places you can enjoy with your dog. Unfortunately, it just is not such a good place to own a dog. It is actually quite expensive to own animals here, and that is one of the reasons so many people choose not to own them in the area.

Photo by Getty Images

Dog Park Action

Anchorage

Owning a dog in a cold location like this might not seem ideal to many for so many reasons. But the fact of the matter is that it’s really expensive to own a dog here. There are few veterinary offices available for those who need the care of a vet, and that does not help the price when you think about how much people can charge since they know there is no competition. It’s just expensive to own a dog in this particular area of the country.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

Detroit

It is one of the most dangerous cities in the country, and you just don’t want to have a dog here. The crime rate in Detroit is among the highest in the country, which might make you really want to have a dog, but it’s not the kind of place that you really want to have one. It’s just a bit too much in terms of expense. This is especially true when you consider the fact that many of the people who live here are struggling to make ends meet living well below poverty levels in many areas.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

Corpus Christi

Texas seems like a great place to own a dog, but it’s not. There are a lot of expenses to consider with a pet in this city, and that is why so many people who live around the area choose not to have a dog of their own. The annual cost of owning a dog here exceeds $2000, which is often unheard of in many areas. This is one of the reasons so many people that live here choose to forgo dog ownership and just keep their homes as inexpensive as possible. It’s a lot of money to pay for an animal, and it’s not a big surprise that some people just cannot afford to do that.

Photo by Getty Images

dog

New York

New York is a great city for many things, and the park is a wonderful place to go with your dog and enjoy, but having a dog here is a lot of work. You have to walk the dog since most people don’t have a yard. It’s cold in the winter and that makes it less than fun to walk the dog, and the cost of owning a dog (or anything else for that matter) around here is just astronomical. It’s very expensive to own a dog here, and that means that you probably will not want to do it. Vet care is more expensive here than in most other cities, and that’s for good reason.

Photo by Getty Images

Dogs at Play

Memphis

Being honest, it seems that Memphis is the worst city in the country in which to own a dog. According to statistics gathered over the course of various studies, it seems that the people who live here have to pay the most money to raise a dog. They also have the least resources for their dogs and they are the most miserable dog owners in the country because of it. It does not seem to matter that there is plenty of space to walk dogs, to play with dogs and to enjoy owning one. It’s just so expensive that it takes the joy right out of owning a dog for most people in the area, and that is really very sad.

Photo by Getty Images

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.