On April 11, pet owners will celebrate National Pet Day, giving an estimated 90 million Americans an excuse to post about their fur baby on social media — as if we need another excuse!
In celebration of National Pet Day, we’re taking a break from New York sports betting and wondering where New York ranks among the nation’s pet owners? To find out, EmpireStakes.com is looking into the research to see which state loves their pets the most.
Using the information provided in the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, we ranked each of the 48 continental states (info for Hawaii and Alaska was not available) to determine which state had the greatest percentage of pet owners.
Although New York is only listed at 40 in these pet ownership rankings, it’s notable that half of New York households have a pet, especially when you consider nearly 82% of the state lives in an urban area — including the 43% of the population who call New York City home.
But believe it or not, America’s biggest city is actually quite welcoming to its four legged friends. There are numerous dog parks and pet-friendly businesses. You can even bring your dog on the subway provided they fit inside a carrier bag — a recent MTA policy which has resulted in some creative pet owners and their large breed dogs going viral.
New York City is also the home of the world’s biggest dog show. Each year since 1877, Westminster Kennel Club Show has been held annually in NYC. It is the second longest continuously held sporting event in America behind only the Kentucky Derby. The 2023 edition is set for May 8-9.
In case you need any more evidence that New Yorkers love their pets, CNBC recently estimated that state residents spend $2,307.57 annually on their dogs.
That’s the third highest amount in the country, behind only Massachusetts ($2,702.64) and Delaware ($2,864.49). Ultimately, the number of feline family members (21.1% of households) is outnumbered by dog owners (27%) within the state.
But we’re still trying to figure out if the AVMA’s Sourcebook counts bodega cats or not.
If you're into underdogs as well, check out our page on NY sports betting apps.
Author
Jeff Parker is an Entertainment Writer for EmpireStakes.com. A writer for film, television and the internet, Jeff is a life long movie buff, with an actual Masters Degree in Popular Culture. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he works full time as documentary filmmaker and producer.
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