Las Vegas named a top city for dogs

So, just how are canines and those who love them faring in the Las Vegas Valley?

A national study of dog-related data would have you believe conditions here are among the best in the country. Las Vegas ranks behind only Florida cities Orlando (1) and Miami (2) in the “2022 Best Cities for Dog Lovers” study released this week. LawnStarter determined its rankings on puppy love in the 174 biggest U.S. cities based on 24 key indicators of dog-friendliness, such as housing, services and care. The study also looked at favorable pet policies, access to pup-welcoming businesses and affordability.

However, one CEO of a local animal services non-profit says the valley’s dog rescue situation and animal welfare is far from good.

”From the rescue side, I can’t see how we rank anywhere but in the crisis zone for dogs, unless we are just talking about the people who can afford whatever they need,” Christy Stevens, executive director of Hearts Alive Village, said in an email.

She also said there is a “lack of affordable access to veterinary care and a devastating veterinary personnel shortage.”

Another challenge, Stevens said, is a lack of affordable housing that welcomes dogs of all sizes.

“The landscape of animal welfare is flawed to the point of neglect in this city,” Stevens added, noting that the community has one open admission shelter (The Animal Foundation) to take admissions from three major cities.

“For a city of our size, we should have at least two more access points for sheltering and services,” she said.

The CEO of The Animal Foundation, Hilarie Grey, said Las Vegans treat dogs well, but there’s room for improvement.

“Las Vegas ranks high as a dog-friendly community, but we can all do more to make sure we’re a truly humane community by promoting adoption,” Grey said.

Grey said national data shows millennials represent the biggest share of pet owners in the United States, yet they are actually the least likely to adopt from a shelter.

“We want to encourage more Las Vegans — of all generations — to adopt their next pet. Adopting a dog from a shelter gives you an opportunity to change their life — and yours. They teach you about patience and kindness. And your life will be more fun, crazy, full of love, and even better than you can possibly imagine.”

Grey said fewer animals are entering The Animal Foundation than in years past.

“Part of this welcome trend is due to more supportive programs available in Las Vegas such as our pet food pantry, which supports pet owners who may be struggling,” she said.

Grey offered suggestions for anybody finding a stray animal and a way to locate your dog if it wanders away.

“If you find an animal that has obviously wandered away from home in your neighborhood, please try to locate the pet’s owner rather than bring them to the shelter. That approach will almost always be the best way to ensure the animal’s quick return home. Make sure your pets are tagged and have a registered microchip so they can be quickly returned to you if they are lost – and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same.”

National data study

In the “2022 Best Cities for Dog Lovers” data study, Las Vegas trailed the two major Florida cities and was ahead of San Diego and Austin, Texas.

North Las Vegas ranked 166th overall. Henderson was not among the cities ranked.

Las Vegas ranked second in services and third in care.

On the minus side, it ranked low, 152nd, in housing for dogs and near the middle, 86th, in affordability.

The services category included the number of pet trainers, dog sitters, pet groomers and dog boarding options (all per per 100,000 residents) as well as number of kennels.

The care category included pet stores per square mile, veterinarians per 100,000 residents, number of emergency veterinary clinics and hospitals and total number of animal hospitals.

Affordability factors included the average dog insurance premium, average per-visit dog sitter rate, average hourly pet groomer rate and average hourly dog trainer rate. All rankings were adjusted for incomes.

Housing factors included average home square footage, share of dog-friendly rental properties and average yard square footage.

Las Vegas is home to a variety of dog friendly places.

Demand for adoption, dog names

A separate study by TOP Data about the demand for dog adoption showed Nevada ranked third in the number of people per capita who are looking to adopt a dog. New Hampshire and Oregon topped the rankings.

The data also showed the favorite breeds in Nevada, at least as people search for potential adoptions.

Chihuahua was the No. 1 breed in searches, followed by pit bull, Labrador retriever, Shih Tzu and mutt.

According to the study, Max is the most popular name for a dog nationwide while Bella was the most popular name in Nevada.

TOP Data said it analyzed a dog adoption database of 500,000 adopted dogs, analyzed online adoption data and surveyed 1,000 dog owners across the U.S.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter.