Ever wondered what are the most dog-friendly places in the UK? If you’re interested in pet travel, you’ll want to know the top places to take your dog!
Full article with thanks to: purepetfood.com/blog/the-most-dog-friendly-places-to-live-in-the-uk
We are a nation of dog lovers, but it goes without saying that some areas are better places to live for dogs and their owners. 26% of UK households have a canine companion, meaning there’s a pup-ulation of just under 10 million pooches out there. And although we can’t move specifically to the best places for our dogs, it’s always im-paw-tent to consider their needs whenever we humans make a move.
Have you ever wondered how your town or city ranks as a dog-friendly place to live? Paw-haps you just want to know where the best places to live for dogs are. We’ve looked into some of England’s biggest towns and cities and ranked them according to the most dog-friendly places to live.
Why urban areas? More of us live in urban areas than anywhere else. Plus, being in a city makes it more important to know about local parks and access to green spaces, as they aren’t as readily accessible as if you lived in the country. If you lived in a rural area, factors for a fantastic doggy life are almost guaranteed, like acres of green space, clean air, and less traffic.
Whether you’re looking for a pet-friendly weekend away with your pooch, or you are house-hunting and considering a new city better suited for you and your pup, read on to find out where the most dog-friendly places to live are.
WHAT MAKES SOMEWHERE THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE FOR DOGS?
There are 7 key factors that will help you assess what makes the best places to live for dogs and their owners. These criteria all have an impact on the quality of life, happiness, and health of our furry friends.
For somewhere to be a truly dog-friendly place to live, you have to consider the following:
- The abundance of green space
- The quality of local parks
- Traffic density
- Air quality
- Street hygiene
- The number of dogs per capita
- The number of dog-friendly pubs per capita
25 of the UK’s major towns and cities were researched to assess how dog friendly they are. Using the factors listed above, we ranked them from best to worst, (1 being best, 25 being worst in our list) so that you can get an idea of where the best places to live for dogs are.
WHY ARE THESE FACTORS IMPORTANT IN CONSIDERING THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE FOR DOGS?
Some of these factors are more obvious to consider when looking into dog-friendly places to live. For example, an abundance of green space and great local parks are all about having plenty of paw-some spots to go walkies.
Meanwhile, traffic density and street hygiene levels are matters of safety. If somewhere has lots of traffic jams to navigate and cars speeding by, you and your pup might be more at risk when out for walks. Meanwhile, litter poses a choking and health hazard if your dog decides to try and snack on it. Air quality is also an im-paw-tent health consideration, as it is with humans because pollution can lead to respiratory diseases and even Alzheimers in dogs.
Finally, the number of dog-friendly pubs per capita is a good indication of how dog friendly an area is, and if they’ll welcome your canine companion. The number of dogs in the area shows you just how pup-ular it is for fellow dog lovers. (It also means your pup will have lots of fur-iends nearby.)
#3 – BOURNEMOUTH
Bournemouth was one of the very few cities that have both good quality parkland and plenty of it. In fact, none of its scores was far below average.
The level of traffic density is more than average, but if you’re in one of the many parks, that shouldn’t pose a problem. Walking to and from your favourite green spaces will be pretty pleasant, as Bournemouth has the cleanest streets in the country. Not to mention, your pup will have plenty of op-paw-tunities to make new fur-iends here as there is a healthy population of pooches. Best of all, a move or visit to Bournemouth means you and the dog can enjoy plenty of seaside strolls together.
Bournemouth scored very well across the board as a paw-some dog-friendly place to live.
| DOG-FRIENDLY FACTOR | RANKING |
|---|---|
| Amount of green space | 10 |
| Quality of parks | 10 |
| Traffic density | 16 |
| Air quality | 13 |
| Street hygiene | 1 |
| No. of dogs per capita | 7 |
| No. of dog-friendly pubs per capita | 14 |
| Total Score: | 71 |
#2 – IN SECOND PLACE, PET TRAVEL PLACE RUNNER-UP… PRESTON!
Preston has got the largest amount of green space available in ratio to built-up areas, as well as more dogs per capita than anywhere else in the UK. With plenty of potential canine companions and places for walkies, it’s easy to see why Preston is a close second as the most dog-friendly place to live in the country.
Preston is also in the top ten for air quality and the number of dog-friendly pubs. At the same time, its park quality, and traffic density are about average. The only downside to this city is the street cleanliness, but even that is only a little below average.
If there was a little less litter, it would have pipped Newcastle to the post as the best place for dogs to live. It is easy to see why there could be a bone to pick between the two to decide the top dog, as Preston has more green space on offer and a booming canine pup-ulation.
Preston’s leading the pack as one of the best places to live for dogs.
| DOG-FRIENDLY FACTOR | RANKING |
|---|---|
| Amount of green space | 1 |
| Quality of parks | 13 |
| Traffic density | 13 |
| Air quality | 4 |
| Street hygiene | 18 |
| No. of dogs per capita | 1 |
| No. of dog-friendly pubs per capita | 9 |
| Total Score: | 59 |
#1 – PET TRAVEL PLACE WINNER… NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE!
Newcastle upon Tyne might be a comparatively small city, but it’s within the top 10 for all but one of the dog-friendly factors. This makes it the clear leader of the pack when it comes to dog-friendly places to live. Not to mention, there are plenty of rural walks easily accessible from the city, so you and the pooch are never far from a long walk together. It has more vet practices per capita than average too.
This city has everything im-paw-tent in raising a happy and healthy dog. Clean air, lots of green space, plenty of vets, and long walks within easy reach. And for rainy days, there’s plenty of pet-friendly pubs and cafes too, many of which have their own doggy menus or treats available.
Newcastle is a city of dog lovers, and for those without a pooch, they can still head to The Dog and Scone for some quality time with a new furry friend. This lively city hasn’t just got everything needed to be named the best place to live for dogs in the UK; it’s pretty great for people too!
Newcastle’s scores show why it’s the top dog when it comes to the best places to live for dogs.
| DOG-FRIENDLY FACTOR | RANKING |
|---|---|
| Amount of green space | 4 |
| Quality of parks | 15 |
| Traffic density | 9 |
| Air quality | 1 |
| Street hygiene | 6 |
| No. of dogs per capita | 10 |
| No. of dog-friendly pubs per capita | 10 |
| Total Score: | 55 |
Full article with thanks to: purepetfood.com/blog/the-most-dog-friendly-places-to-live-in-the-uk
Get the latest from our pet advice blog.
If you’re looking to travel your pet within or outside the United Kingdom (Example: Birmingham to Paris), then get in touch with us by completing our quick and easy quote form.