Miami Is The Nation’s Most Pet Friendly City

 
Of all the cities in the nation, Miami is ranked #1 as the best city for dogs according to a study by Rent.com. And why wouldn’t we? Which other city in the nation has its very own “Dogs and Cats Walkway and Sculpture Garden” through an art-filled waterfront park?

That’s right, Miami has dedicated a portion of Museum Park (Ferre Park) in Downtown Miami to a permanent sculpture garden dedicated to our furry friends. The sculpture garden, a pet project by Commissioner Joe Carollo (see what I did there?), beautified a previously-blighted and ignored section of the public walkway that is adjacent to the Perez Art Museum and the Frost Science Museum.

Photo by Phillip Pessar

Carollo and the Bayfront Park Management Trust brought in 50 local artists and commissioned sculptures of dogs and cats from each, resulting in 52 total works in the 1-acre section that is landscaped with a rainbow of bright flowering plants and walkways.

“I was amazed by just how much of that talent we have in Miami,” Carollo, the Bayfront Park Management Trust chair, said during a press conference.

The project was not delivered without controversy though. Some felt that the $896,000 price tag was high for a free public display, and some simply felt the money was better spent elsewhere. Despite the naysayers, Carollo soldiered on and here we are.

This opening comes in the same week that Rent.com released the findings of their population study surrounding pets. Researchers totaled up the number of dog-friendly amenities and services per capita and per square mile. This includes dog parks, pet supply stores, veterinarians, groomers and animal shelters.

Photo by Phillip Pessar

Some of Miami’s specific amenities that were mentioned were the Underline and many dog-friendly beaches and our overall walk score of 77 (some of the more urban areas have walk scores up to 100!). They did cite the many pet-friendly condos in the Magic City, which might be a bit misleading, but we keep up with the pet rules for the local buildings and can steer you in the right direction should this ever become a question.

We hope that you bring your furry friend to check out the most chic dog walk in the most dog friendly city in the nation!