A new study says San Francisco is going to the dogs — and we couldn’t be happier about it!
The City by the Bay is the most dog-friendly city in the United States, according to SmartAsset, a personal-finance website that compared data on dog accessibility and quality of life in 100 cities. Other California cities ranked in the top 10 include San Diego (No. 4) and Sacramento (No. 6).
San Francisco ranks seventh in the nation for the most dog parks per 100,000 residents (3.46) and has the second-highest walkability score (84 out of 100). But what really pushed San Francisco into the winner’s circle was the number of dog-friendly restaurant we have — 174. Only San Diego has more, with 187, but our neighbor to the south is also 50 percent bigger in terms of population. San Francisco also boasts three dog-friendly shopping centers.
Other factors that SmartAsset used in its calculations were weather (average days of rainfall) and housing cost (the median home sales price).
By the way, if you’re looking for those San Francisco restaurants that welcome dogs at their outdoor tables, point your web browser to BringFido. The website lists all 174 and lets you sort them by name, popularity, and ranking. It also provides maps, photos, and reviews.
The Curbed SF website also has some valuable dog-friendly links. For starters, check out its list of 25 pet-friendly rental buildings in San Francisco. It also offers a guide tracking the most pet-friendly ZIP codes for renters in the city.
Of course, your No. 1 link for the most doggedly dog-friendly people is that of the San Francisco SPCA. The nonprofit agency has been taking care of dogs and cats and all sorts of household pets since 1868. Last year alone it brokered 4,919 pet adoptions — 3,106 cats and 1,813 dogs. More than 11,000 pets were spayed or neutered, and 91,222 people were visited by therapy animals. The organization deserves our support.
(Photo: Flickr/Christina Hart)