New York Named Nation's Least Pet-Friendly State

NEW YORK, NY — New Yorkers love their pets as much as anyone, but it turns out the state isn't so hospitable. The Empire State is the least pet-friendly state in the nation, according to a ranking published this week by SafeWise.

The home security review website ranked the 50 U.S. states and the District and Columbia for pet friendliness based on factors such as animal cruelty laws and the numbers of animal shelters, veterinarians and dog parks.

New York ranked last at No. 51., just below Mississippi. Really passionate pet lovers might look northeast to Maine, which took the top spot with nearly 1,000 pet-friendly hotels and 76 dog-friendly beaches, hiking trails and dog parks.

SafeWise's ranking used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Animal Legal Defense Fund and web resources such as BringFido.com.

New York City has 40 off-leash dog parks, according to BringFido. But SafeWise's research found an apparent dearth of dog parks nationwide — there are just 0.0244 for every 1,000 people in the U.S.

(Lead image: A bulldog rests before competing at the 141st Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Feb. 13, 2017 in New York City. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)