Knoxville ranked as the No. 1 American city for pets for second consecutive year

Apartment Guide released its ranking of America's best pet cities, and Knoxville took first place for the second consecutive year.

The apartment search site looked for cities that offer plenty of amenities for furry friends, including pet stores, veterinarian care, boarding, park space and more.

Apartment Guide called Knoxville "an unexpected, underrated city" for pet lovers and mentioned several factors that set the city apart from the rest of the pack.

Knoxville is home to nearly 30 boarding facilities and kennels and 93 veterinarian practices, according to the ranking.

The city's eight dog parks are also perfect for a game of fetch. And after Knoxvillians and their pets work up an appetite at the park, they can go downtown for lunch thanks to a $20 permit that allows restaurants to have dogs on their outdoor patios.

Meanwhile, Knoxville hosts a variety of pet-themed parades, has the cutest bluetick coonhound for the University of Tennessee mascot and even has a dog film festival.

Apartment Guide also couldn't forget about the Great Smoky Mountains that are just a short drive away.

Here are the top 10 pet cities in the country, according to Apartment Guide's list:

    Knoxville, Tennessee

    Dayton, Ohio

    Orlando, Florida

    Columbia, South Carolina

    Lakeland, Florida

    Wilmington, North Carolina

    Miami, Florida

    Scottsdale, Arizona

    Cincinnati, Ohio

    Billings, Montana

Source: Knoxville News Sentinel, by Allie Clouse

The East Tennessee Economic Development Agency markets and recruits business for the 15 counties in the greater Knoxville-Oak Ridge region of East Tennessee. Visit www.eteda.org

 

Published February 14, 2020