Seattle Rated the Second Most Humane City for Our Love of Dogs

Residents of Seattle love their dogs, and their dogs have good reason to love them back. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has ranked the 25 largest metropolitan areas according to criteria such as the number of vegetarian restaurants per capita and Congressional leadership on animal issues. Seattle came in second. Which came first, our love of dogs, or the sheer numbers of them that we surround ourselves with? Seattle is riding a national surge in dog numbers, from about 15 million in the 1960s to 70 million today.

Seattleites are so in love with their dogs, in fact, that there are more pet dogs than children in the city! If it seems like you see more dogs than kids, you're not imagining things, it's true. There are 45% more dogs than children, in fact. There are about 125,000 dogs in Seattle, going by both the Seattle Animal Shelter's estimate and an independent analysis by The Seattle Times. In the 2000 census, there were fewer than 90,000 children in Seattle.

Condo developers have taken note, and established courtyards and other dog-friendly design. Some even provide new owners tips on doggy-ettiquete issues such as elevator riding. Of course, most urban dogs are small dogs, but the development which does not allow dogs at all will rule out a significant portion of potential clients.

Dogs come to work. Dogs not only go to the park, they get their own park. They ride on the bus. They have day care, massage, acupuncture, psychologists, psychics, raw food, duck kibble, bakeries, oil paintings and personal photo shoots, SUV beds, sunglasses, jackets of fleece and velvet, several magazines, shirts that say, "I'm with the band," treats made of lamb lung and the business end of a bull. They have a holiday - Dog-O-Ween - and a fun run. They have an infrastructure of health care, social services and political action. Seattle boasts the "Seattle Dog Taxi" which shuttles 120 dogs per month. And the city dogs have an ally in Jan Drago, the Seattle City Council member who pioneered the city's system of dog parks.

One way Seattle accommodates its beloved four-legged friends is with dog-parks. Lots of them. Not only are dogs allowed (on leash) in the city's extensive and beautiful park system, there are currently 11 off-leash areas for dogs in the greater Seattle area. Dogs not allowed, even with a leash, on beaches, in children's play areas, or on organized athletic fields.

While Seattle leads the pack, so to speak, West Coast cities all ranked highly in the HSUS survey. The survey listed San Francisco in first place, and then Seattle. Portland ranks third and San Diego fifth. Los Angeles ranks sixth.