Charlotte Among Nation's Least Pet Friendly City, Study Shows

CHARLOTTE, NC — Charlotte is one of the worst cities in the U.S. for pets, according to a new WalletHub ranking of the most pet-friendly places in the United States.

The personal finance website ranked the 100 largest U.S. cities for pet friendliness based on two dozen factors in three categories: Pet budget, pet health and wellness, and outdoor pet-friendliness.

Charlotte ranked 92nd out of 100 cities, making it the 9th least pet-friendly city in the nation on the list published Tuesday. For perspective of how poor these findings were for the Queen City, it was two spots below New York City.

When it comes to pet exercise, Charlotte fared poorly, ranking 98th in its walk score. It also came in extremely low in other key areas: 88th for animal shelters per capita, 86th for veterinary care costs and 69th for pet caretakers per capita.

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Charlotte fared much better in one area, however. It was 17th among the ranked cities when it came to dog insurance premiums, according to WalletHub.

Pet friendliness is better in other parts of the Tar Heel State, according to the study. Raleigh was ranked No. 33, Winston-Salem No. 69, Greensboro No. 70 and Durham No. 71.

Dedicated pet lovers could head west to give their companions a better life. Scottsdale, Arizona
is the most pet-friendly city in the nation, with Orlando, Florida; San Diego; Austin, Texas; and Phoenix rounding out the top five, according to WalletHub.

See WalletHub's full ranking here.

Patch Editor Noah Manskar contributed

Photo via Shutterstock