Most Animal Friendly States: 2024 Official Rankings

Written By The Woof

With nearly 90.5 million households across the nation providing homes to pets, the need for pet friendliness and robust animal welfare measures has never been more pressing.

SmileHub undertook a rigorous comparison of all 50 states, analyzing them across 18 key metrics to identify the best states for animals and areas requiring improvement.

Main Findings:

  1. Colorado Sets the Standard: With an impressive total score of 72.53, Colorado emerges as the top-ranking state for animal welfare. Its strong performance across various metrics, including pet ownership (2nd) and animal protection laws (1st), underscores its commitment to fostering a conducive environment for animals.

  2. Oregon and Vermont Shine: Following closely behind Colorado, Oregon and Vermont secure the 2nd and 3rd positions, respectively. Both states demonstrate commendable efforts in promoting animal well-being, with notable strengths in areas such as animal protection laws and access to veterinary care.

  3. Areas for Improvement: While certain states excel in fostering animal welfare, others face significant challenges. States such as Hawaii (50th), Maryland (49th), and Alabama (48th) highlight areas where concerted efforts are needed to enhance animal welfare standards.

To assess the animal-friendliness of each state, SmileHub utilized a comprehensive methodology encompassing three key dimensions: Pet Ownership, Animal Protection, and Animal Wellness.

These dimensions were evaluated using 18 relevant metrics, each weighted according to its significance in gauging overall animal welfare.

Factors such as pet ownership rates, the strength of animal protection laws, access to veterinary care, and vulnerability to climate change were among the criteria considered.

Here’s the official list:

  1. Colorado:

    • Total Score: 72.53

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 2

    • Animal Protection Rank: 1

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 27

  2. Oregon:

    • Total Score: 61.93

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 17

    • Animal Protection Rank: 7

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 22

  3. Vermont:

    • Total Score: 61.76

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 21

    • Animal Protection Rank: 13

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 6

  4. Indiana:

    • Total Score: 61.06

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 6

    • Animal Protection Rank: 24

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 13

  5. Kansas:

    • Total Score: 60.89

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 11

    • Animal Protection Rank: 25

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 5

  6. Missouri:

    • Total Score: 60.57

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 8

    • Animal Protection Rank: 26

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 8

  7. Idaho

    • Total Score: 60.15

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 1

    • Animal Protection Rank: 29

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 19

  8. Tennessee

    • Total Score: 60.09

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 7

    • Animal Protection Rank: 21

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 23

  9. Florida

    • Total Score: 59.67

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 36

    • Animal Protection Rank: 3

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 16

  10. Nebraska

    • Total Score: 59.64

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 5

    • Animal Protection Rank: 33

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 3

  11. Virginia

    • Total Score: 58.02

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 24

    • Animal Protection Rank: 11

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 33

  12. Maine

    • Total Score: 57.17

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 27

    • Animal Protection Rank: 10

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 36

  13. Montana

    • Total Score: 55.56

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 35

    • Animal Protection Rank: 27

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 1

  14. Texas

    • Total Score: 54.50

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 31

    • Animal Protection Rank: 16

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 34

  15. Ohio

    • Total Score: 54.29

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 33

    • Animal Protection Rank: 18

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 32

  16. Oklahoma

    • Total Score: 54.28

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 4

    • Animal Protection Rank: 46

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 4

  17. Illinois

    • Total Score: 54.20

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 38

    • Animal Protection Rank: 8

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 40

  18. Michigan

    • Total Score: 53.95

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 30

    • Animal Protection Rank: 20

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 25

  19. Wyoming

    • Total Score: 53.69

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 23

    • Animal Protection Rank: 31

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 7

  20. Rhode Island

    • Total Score: 53.50

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 47

    • Animal Protection Rank: 2

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 30

  21. Washington

    • Total Score: 53.13

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 28

    • Animal Protection Rank: 14

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 41

  22. Pennsylvania

    • Total Score: 52.48

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 34

    • Animal Protection Rank: 12

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 43

  23. New Hampshire

    • Total Score: 52.35

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 49

    • Animal Protection Rank: 6

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 21

  24. Iowa

    • Total Score: 51.67

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 20

    • Animal Protection Rank: 35

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 11

  25. Arkansas

    • Total Score: 51.52

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 3

    • Animal Protection Rank: 40

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 38

  26. Wisconsin

    • Total Score: 51.05

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 32

    • Animal Protection Rank: 28

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 26

  27. Utah

    • Total Score: 50.96

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 14

    • Animal Protection Rank: 38

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 17

  28. Arizona

    • Total Score: 50.78

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 12

    • Animal Protection Rank: 30

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 47

  29. North Dakota

    • Total Score: 50.76

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 19

    • Animal Protection Rank: 37

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 14

  30. West Virginia

    • Total Score: 49.93

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 15

    • Animal Protection Rank: 34

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 31

  31. Louisiana

    • Total Score: 49.46

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 42

    • Animal Protection Rank: 19

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 20

  32. Kentucky

    • Total Score: 49.43

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 13

    • Animal Protection Rank: 42

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 15

  33. New Jersey

    • Total Score: 48.73

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 46

    • Animal Protection Rank: 4

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 44

  34. South Dakota

    • Total Score: 48.63

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 25

    • Animal Protection Rank: 43

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 2

  35. Minnesota

    • Total Score: 48.59

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 16

    • Animal Protection Rank: 39

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 24

  36. North Carolina

    • Total Score: 48.05

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 9

    • Animal Protection Rank: 47

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 18

  37. Nevada

    • Total Score: 47.82

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 39

    • Animal Protection Rank: 23

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 39

  38. Mississippi

    • Total Score: 47.06

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 10

    • Animal Protection Rank: 49

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 9

  39. South Carolina

    • Total Score: 46.68

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 22

    • Animal Protection Rank: 44

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 12

  40. Georgia

    • Total Score: 46.44

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 29

    • Animal Protection Rank: 41

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 10

  41. Alaska

    • Total Score: 46.41

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 37

    • Animal Protection Rank: 32

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 37

  42. California

    • Total Score: 46.25

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 40

    • Animal Protection Rank: 5

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 50

  43. Delaware

    • Total Score: 44.12

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 44

    • Animal Protection Rank: 15

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 48

  44. Massachusetts

    • Total Score: 43.75

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 50

    • Animal Protection Rank: 9

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 42

  45. Connecticut

    • Total Score: 41.42

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 45

    • Animal Protection Rank: 22

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 46

  46. New Mexico

    • Total Score: 40.88

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 18

    • Animal Protection Rank: 50

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 28

  47. New York

    • Total Score: 40.33

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 43

    • Animal Protection Rank: 17

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 49

  48. Alabama

    • Total Score: 40.02

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 26

    • Animal Protection Rank: 48

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 29

  49. Maryland

    • Total Score: 38.22

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 41

    • Animal Protection Rank: 36

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 45

  50. Hawaii

    • Total Score: 33.57

    • Pet Ownership Rank: 48

    • Animal Protection Rank: 45

    • Animal Wellness Rank: 35

If you want to support animal welfare but don’t know where to donate, check out our picks for the Best Charities for Animals in 2024.

The Woof
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